EDWATION  LIBH, 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Education 
GIFT  OF 

Louise  Farrow  Barr 


PEGGY 


"•'PEACE     UK.     T«>    THIS     I>\VK  I.M  N<  J  ! 


PEGGY 


BY 

LAURA  E.  RICHARDS 

AUTHOR  OF  "  CAPTAIN  JANUARY,"   "  MELODY,' 
"QUEEN  HILDEGARDE,"    ETC. 


. 

EUustrateB  bg 
ETHELDRED  B.   BARRY 


BOSTON 
DANA   ESTES    &    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1899 
BY  DANA  ESTES  &  COMPANY 


Education 

GIFT 


Colonial 

Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  C.  H.  Simonds  &  Co. 
Boston,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS. 


Ed*** 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  A  NEW  WORLD        .....  11 

II.  THE  Box  FROM  FERNLEY        ...  31 

III.  IN    TH£    "GYM."           .            .            .             .             .  51 

IV.  ENTER  THE  SCAPEGOAT  ....  72 
V.  To  THE  RESCUE        .....  89 

VI.  THE  OWL'S  NEST      .         .         .         .         .  102 

VII.  WEDDING  BELLS 121 

VIII.  BY  MOONLIGHT 141 

IX.  FACULTY  MEETING  AND  BEDLAM  .         .  160 

X.  TEACHER  AND  PUPIL       ....  182 

XI.  DECORATION  —  AND  OTHER  THINGS        .  194 

XII.  AN  ADVENTURE        .         .         .         .         .  210 

XIII.  PEGGY  VICTRIX        ...         .         .  224 

XIV.  ON  SPY  HILL  .         .         .         .         .         .240 

XV.  WHAT  WAS  THE  MATTER  WITH  LOBELIA 

PARKINS? 253 

XVI.  THE  TERROR  BY  NIGHT          .         .         .  268 

XVII.  WAITING .279 

XVIII.  THE  END  AND  THE  BEGINNING      .         .  297 


3GO 


LIST   OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

"  '  PEACE  BE  TO  THIS  DWELLING  '  "  (p.  79)      Frontispiece 

"'BERTHA,    LOOK    AT    THIS,    WILL    YOU?'"  .       -      .          36 

"  UP  THEY  WENT,  HAND  OVER  HAND."  ...  69 

THE  GRAND  TELL  IN  THE  OWL'S  NEST          .         .  120 

"  '  HERE  !  TAKE  MY  HAND  AND  SCRAMBLE  OUT  ' '  207 
"  WlTH  ONE  OF  HER  SUDDEN  MOVEMENTS  SHE  HAD 

THROWN  OFF  HER  ASSAILANTS  "...  237 

"'On,  GRACE,  SHE  HAS  FAINTED!'"      .         .         .  272 

"'WE    FOUR    AGAINST    THE    WORLD!'"       .  .  .       308 


PEGGY. 

CHAPTER  I. 

A    NEW   WORLD. 

"  Miss    MONTFOET  ! "    said    the    Principal. 

Peggy  looked  about  her. 

"  I  wonder  if  it's  another  cousin  !  "  she 
said  to  herself.  "  It  can't  be,  or  Margaret 
would  have  known.  Dear  Margaret !  now 
if  she  were  only  here,  she  could  answer,  and 
everybody  would  —  " 

"  Miss  Montfort !  "  said  the  Principal  again, 
rather  sharply. 

"  Isn't  that  your  name  ?  "  whispered  the  girl 
who  sat  beside  Peggy.  "  You'll  have  to  an 
swer,  you  know  ! " 

Peggy  started  violently,  and,  looking  up, 
met  the  Principal's  eyes  bent  upon  her.  She 


11 


12  PEGGY. 

struggled  to  her  feet,  feeling  herself  one 
blush  from  head  to  foot. 

"I  —  I  beg  your  pardon!"  she  faltered. 
"  I  didn't  suppose  —  did  you  mean  me  ?  " 

"You  are  Miss  Montfort,  are  you  not?" 

"  Oh,  no  !  my  cousins  are  both  —  that  is,  — 
I  am  just  Peggy  !  " 

There  was  a  general  titter,  which  the  Prin 
cipal  checked  with  her  pencil.  "  Young  la 
dies  !"  she  said  in  a  warning  tone.  "Miss 
Montfort,  you  will  have  room  No.  18,  in  the 
second  corridor.  You  will  be  alone  for  the 
present." 

"Oh,  goody!"  cried  Peggy.  "I  mean  — 
I'm  ever  so  much  obliged,  thank  you  !  Can 
I  go  now?" 

"  You  may  go  now  !  "  said  the  Principal, 
with  a  slight  emphasis  on  the  auxiliary. 

Peggy  stumbled  over  the  foot  of  the  girl 
next  her,  stepped  on  her  own  dress,  tripped 
and  came  to  her  knees  ;  picked  herself  up, 
with  a  sound  of  rending  cloth,  and  finally 
got  out  of  the  room.  This  time  the  titter 
was  not  so  easily  checked.  Peggy  heard  it 
rippling  behind  her  as  she  fled.  Even  Miss 


A    NEW    WORLD.  13 

Russell  smiled  as  she  rapped  on  the  desk,  and 
said  one  word  to  herself  :  "  Untrained  !  " 

But  the  girl  who  had  sat  beside  Peggy 
rubbed  her  foot,  which  hurt  a  good  deal,  and 
said  three  words  :  "  Poor  little  thing  !  " 

No.  18  in  the  second  corridor  was  a  good- 
sized  room,  with  two  windows,  one  of  them 
crossed  on  the  outside  by  a  fire-escape.  Its 
present  aspect  was  bare  and  unhomelike. 
The  furniture  consisted  of  an  iron  bedstead, 
a  bureau  and  wash-stand,  two  chairs  and  a 
small  table,  all  neat,  but  severely  plain.  The 
small  square  of  carpet  on  the  floor  was  a 
cold  gray  mixture  with  brown  flowers  on  it. 
As  Peggy  Montfort  looked  about  her,  her 
heart  sank.  Was  she  to  live  here,  to  spend 
her  days  and  nights  here,  for  a  whole  endless 
year?  She  thought  of  her  room  at  home, 
the  great  sunny  room  that  she  shared  with 
her  sister  Jean.  That  had  four  windows, 
which  were  generally  flung  wide  open ;  it 
was  bare,  because  she  and  Jean  liked  to 
have  plenty  of  space  for  gymnastics  and 
wrestling;  but  that  was  a  homelike,  accus 
tomed  bareness,  and  they  loved  it.  The 


14  PEGGY. 

great  old  four-post  bed,  with  the  round  balls 
on  which  they  loved  to  stand  and  perform 
circus  tricks  ;  the  hammock  slung  across  one 
end ;  the  birds'  nests  and  hawks'  wings  that 
adorned  the  walls  in  lieu  of  pictures ;  the 
antlers  on  which  they  hung  their  hats,  —  all 
these,  or  the  thought  of  them,  smote  Peggy's 
stout  heart,  and  sent  it  lower  and  lower  down. 

A  maid  knocked  at  the  door :  here  was 
Miss  Montfort's  trunk,  and  would  she  unpack 
it,  please,  as  the  man  would  be  coming  again 
to  take  the  empty  trunks  to  the  attic. 

Peggy  fell  to  work  with  ardour;  here,  at 
least,  was  something  to  do,  in  this  strange, 
lonesome  place.  Arriving  in  the  afternoon,  a 
day  or  two  after  the  beginning  of  school,  her 
lessons  were  not  to  begin  till  the  next  morning. 

Every  dress,  as  she  lifted  it  out,  seemed  a 
bit  of  home.  Here  was  the  triangular  tear 
in  her  blue  gingham,  that  Jean  mended  for 
her.  One  could  hardly  see  it  now !  Dear 
Jean !  she  was  neat-handed,  and  she  had  a 
little  look  of  Margaret,  the  same  soft  hair 
and  clear,  quiet  eyes.  Here  was  her  beloved 
bicycle  skirt !  Ah,  there  was  something 


A   NEW   WORLD.  15 

heavy  in  the  pocket.     Peggy  explored,  and 
drew  forth  an  apple ;  that  brought  the  tears, 
which  were  not  very  far  off  in  the  first  place, 
and  there  was  a  good    deal    of   salt   in  the 
apple  as  she  ate  it.     She  was  so  determined 
to   make   the   best   of    everything,  however, 
that  she  fought  back  the  homesickness  that 
was  rising  like  a  flood  within  her,  and  even 
managed  to  whistle  a  tune  as  she  hung  up 
her  dresses  and  laid  her  stockings  and  hand 
kerchiefs  in  the  drawers.     Then  the  shoe-bag 
must  be  hung  against  the  closet  door,  the  bag 
that  Margaret  had  made    and   worked   with 
her   initials.     Dearest   Margaret!    and    here 
was  the  pincushion  that  Flora  gave  her,  and 
the  writing-case  from  Brother  Hugh  —     Oh  ! 
she  would  write  to  him  every  week  of   her 
life,  indeed  she  would  !  and  so  on  and  so  on. 
When  the   trunk    was    empty,   the    room 
looked  less  forlorn,  though  still  pretty  bare, 
for  in  Peggy's  home  little  thought  was  given 
to  anything  not  of  practical  use.     The  door 
was    open,    and   happening   to   look   up    she 
caught  a  glimpse   of   the  opposite  room,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  narrow  corridor.     Here, 


16  PEGGY. 

too,  the  door  stood  open,  and  Peggy  gazed  open- 
eyed.  A  greater  contrast  could  hardly  be 
imagined.  Here  every  available  inch  of  wall- 
space  was  covered,  with  photographs,  with 
Japanese  fans  and  umbrellas,  with  posters 
and  ribbons  and  flags.  The  room  itself  was 
choked,  it  seemed  to  Peggy,  with  chairs  and 
tables,  low  tables  covered  with  books,  with 
cups  and  saucers,  with  knickknacks  of  every 
possible  description.  The  whole  effect  was 
bewildering,  but  so  gay  and  cheerful  that 
Peggy  sighed  as  she  glanced  back  at  her  own 
bare  white  walls,  at  the  bureau  with  its  sober 
brush  and  comb,  and  the  polished  table  where 
the  writing-case  lay  in  solitary  state.  She 
could  not  imagine  living  in  a  room  like  that 
other :  she  should  stifle,  and  throw  half  the 
things  out  of  the  window ;  but  it  would  be 
nice  to  have  just  a  few  more  things  !  If  she 
had  only  thought!  Jean  would  have  been 
glad  to  share  the  nests  with  her,  and  she 
could  have  had  the  rattlesnake  skin,  for  had 
she  not  killed  him  herself?  and  then  there 
were  the  fossils  ! 

As  Peggy  meditated,  steps  came  along  the 


A   NEW    WORLD.  17 

corridor,  and  halted  at  her  door,  A  face 
peeped  in.  "May  I  come  in?"  asked  the 
girl  who  had  sat  beside  her  in  the  class-room. 

"  Oh,  do !  I  wisji  you  would !  "  cried  Peggy, 
eagerly.  "  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you !  Sit 
down!  I  wanted  to  tell  you  —  you  were  aw 
fully  kind  to  let  me  know  she  meant  me. 
You  see,  I  never  was  called  Miss  Montfort 
in  my  life  before." 

The  girl  sat  down,  and  looked  kindly  at 
Peggy.  She  was  a  singular-looking  girl, 
short  and  dark,  with  a  curious  effect  of 
squareness  in  her  thickset  figure.  Her  face 
was  plain,  but  one  forgot  that  when  one  met 
the  bright,  intelligent  gaze  of  her  dark  eyes. 

"  I  ought  to  introduce  myself ! "  she  said. 
"  My  name  is  Bertha  Haughton.  I'm  a 
neighbour  of  yours.  No  !  "  she  added,  laugh 
ing,  as  Peggy  glanced  involuntarily  across  the 
way.  "  That  is  Vanity  Fair.  I  don't  live 
there ;  I  live  in  the  Owls'  Nest,  some  way 
down  the  corridor." 

"  Are  all  the  rooms  named  ?  "  asked  Peggy, 
wondering. 

"  Most  of  them,  on  this  corridor,  at  least. 


18  PEGGYo 

There's  Vanity  Fair  and  Rag  Fair  and  the 
Smithsonian  Institute  on  the  other  side  —  oh! 
and  the  China  Shop  and  the  Corner  Grocery, 
too.  And  on  this  side  is  ours,  the  Owls' 
Nest,  and  Bedlam,  and  the  Soap  Factory,  and 
the  Nursery,  and  this  room  of  yours." 

"  Oh,  how  interesting  ! "  cried  Peggy »  "  Do 
tell  me  what  the  names  mean  !  Why  Owls' 
Nest?" 

"Oh,  well,  we  got  the  name  of  studying 
hard,  that's  all.  We  don't  study  harder  than 
ever  so  many  others,  but  in  our  freshman 
year  we  —  my  chum  and  I  —  passed  an  ex 
amination  that  a  good  many  failed  in,  and  so 
we  got  the  name  of  owls.  That's  really  all ! 
And  the  China  Shop  —  well!  Ada  Bull  had 
it  last  year,  and  she  had  a  mania  for  china- 
painting  ;  and  that  with  the  name,  together, 
you  see  !  Then  there  is  the  Soap  Factory,  — 
that  is  quite  a  story  !  you  really  want  to  hear 
it?  well! 

"  You  know  we  are  not  allowed  to  buy 
candy,  or  to  have  it  sent  to  us.  This  girl's 
mother  —  I  won't  tell  her  name,  she's  in 
college  now  —  was  a  very  silly  person,  and 


A   NEW    WORLD,  19 

she  sent  her  a  great  box  of  chocolate,  five  or 
six  pounds  (though  she  knew  the  rules,  mind 
you  !),  all  done  up  like  soap." 

"  Like  soap !  "  repeated  Peggy. 

"  Yes !  the  box  was  marked  soap,  and  the 
chocolate  was  in  little  cakes,  just  like  the  little 
sample  cakes  of  soap  they  send  round,  don't 
you  know?  and  each  cake  wrapped  up  in 
paper,  with  <  Savon  de  Chocolat ?  stamped  on 
it.  It  came  from  Paris,  I  believe. 

"  Well,  of  course  the  girl  ought  to  have 
told  Miss  Russell  at  once,  but  she  didn't. 
She  kept  the  box  under  her  bed,  and  told  all 
the  girls  she  knew ;  and  of  course  they  kept 
coming  into  her  room  all  day  long,  and  her 
pocket  was  always  full,  and,  however  it  hap 
pened,  at  last  Miss  Russell  suspected  some 
thing.  One  day  she  came  suddenly  upon 
Margie  in  the  hall,  and  saw  that  she  was 
eating  something,  and  asked  her  what  it  was. 
We're  not  allowed  to  eat  going  about  the 
house,  of  course.  Margie  had  just  bitten  off 
half  a  cake,  and  she  had  the  other  half  in 
her  hand,  with  the  printed  side  up,  '  Savon 
de  Chocolat ! '  and  she  said  '  Soap  ! ' 


20  PEGGY. 

"  '  Soap ! '  said  Miss  Russell. 

"  6  Yes  ! '  said  Margie.  '  Soap,  Miss  Rus 
sell.' 

"  The  Principal  looked  at  her  a  minute,  and 
then  I  suppose  she  smelt  the  chocolate.  She 
told  her  to  wait,  and  then  she  went  into  her 
own  room  and  came  out  with  a  little  cake  of 
tar  soap  —  sample  cake  —  that  looked  for  all 
the  world  like  chocolate  soap. 

"  <  Pray  try  this  ! '  she  said,  as  grave  as  a 
.judge.  '  I  am  sure  you  will  find  it  excellent. 
I  must  insist  upon  your  trying  it,  since  you 
have  a  taste  for  soap.' 

"  Poor  Margie !  she  had  a  good  deal  of 
pluck,  and  when  she  saw  there  was  no  help 
for  it,  she  took  a  bite  of  the  soap.  But 
it  was  too  horrid ;  she  couldn't  swallow  it. 
She  choked,  and  ran  to  her  own  room  ;  the 
Principal  followed  her,  and  then  the  whole 
story  came  out.  Margie  never  told  us  just 
what  Miss  Russell  said.  The  chocolate  was 
sent  to  the  Orphans'  Home  next  day,  and  she 
was  a  pretty  serious  girl  for  some  time  after. 
So  now  you  know  why  that  room  is  called  the 
Soap  Factory." 


A    NEW    WORLD.  21 

"  That's  a  splendid  story !  "  cried  Peggy. 
"  Why,  I  think  this  is  great.  Did  this  room 
have  a  name,  too  ?  I'm  sure  it  must  have  ! 
Do  tell  me  what  it  is  !  " 

A  queer  look  crossed  the  dark  girl's  face. 

"  It  has  been  called  Broadway  !  "  she  said. 
"  I  hope  it  may  be  changed  now."  She  hesi 
tated,  and  was  about  to  speak  again,  when 
two  girls  came  along  arm  in  arm. 

"  Look  !  "  said  Bertha  Haughton.  "  There 
are  your  opposite  neighbours,  Vanity  and  Vex 
ation  of  Spirit.  I'll  call  them  over  and 
introduce  them." 

"  Oh,  please  don't !  "  cried  Peggy,  under 
her  breath,  catching  her  companion's  arm. 
But  it  was  too  late. 

"  V.  V.,"  called  Bertha,  in  her  clear,  hearty 
voice,  "come  and  be  introduced  to  Miss 
Montfort." 

The  girls  turned  and  came  forward,  one 
eagerly,  the  other  rather  unwillingly. 

"Miss  Viola  Vincent,  Miss  Vivia  Varn- 
ham,"  said  Bertha  Haughton,  "  this  is  Miss 
—  Peggy,  did  you  say  ?  —  Miss  Peggy  Mont- 
fort." 


22  PEGGY. 

Miss  Varnham  simply  bowed,  but  Viola 
Vincent  advanced  with  outstretched  hand. 

"How  do  you  do?"  she  cried;  and  she 
lifted  Peggy's  hand  to  the  level  of  her  chin, 
and  shook  it  gently  from  side  to  side.  "  Aw 
fully  glad  to  see  you  !  It's  been  too  perfectly 
horrid  to  have  this  room  empty  ;  hasn't  it, 
V?" 

"  A  great  bore  !  "  assented  Miss  Varnham, 
who  looked  thoroughly  bored  herself. 

Both  girls  had  entered  the  room,  and  were 
standing,  looking  about  them.  Peggy  stood, 
too,  feeling  unspeakably  shy  and  awkward, 
and  not  knowing  what  to  say.  Bertha 
Haughton  gave  her  a  quick,  friendly  glance, 
and  made  a  slight  motion  with  her  head 
toward  a  chair.  Peggy  started,  and  coloured 
violently. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon ! "  she  stammered. 
"  Won't  you  sit  down  ?  here  are  two  chairs ; 
and  you  and  I  can  sit  on  the  bed ! "  she 
turned  to  Miss  Haughton  with  an  air  of 
relief ;  she  seemed  already  an  old  friend. 

Peggy's  timid  glances  at  the  newcomers 
showed  her  that  they  belonged  to  a  species 


A   NEW    WORLD.  23 

unknown  to  her.     Living  on  a  great  prairie 
farm,  she  had  known  no  girls  save  her  sisters 
and  the  two  cousins  with  whom  she  had  spent 
a  happy  summer  at  Fernley  House,  the  home 
of  her  uncle,  Mr.  John  Montfort,  a  year  before. 
But  neither  sisters  nor  cousins,  nor  Bertha 
Haughton  herself,  bore  any  resemblance  to  the 
two  young  women  who  now  seated  themselves 
on  her  two  straight-backed  chairs.     Both  were 
dressed  in  the  extreme  of  the  fashion,  which 
was    not    a    specially   graceful    one.      Both 
wore  their  hair  elaborately  dressed,  with   a 
profusion  of   gold  and  silver  pins,  a  passing 
fancy  easily  carried  to  extravagance.     Both 
were  pretty,  and  there  was  even  a  ,kind  of 
likeness  between   them,  though    it   vanished 
when  one  looked  closely.     Viola  Vincent  had 
limpid  blue  eyes,  and  long  lashes  which  she 
had  a  way  of  dropping,  as  she  had  been  told 
that  they  looked  well  on  her  cheek,  which  was 
clear  and  delicately  tinted.     She  smiled  a  good 
deal,  and  in  doing  so  showed  a  pretty  dimple 
in  one  cheek.     In  spite  of  a  certain  affecta 
tion,  Peggy  thought  her  charming. 

Vivia  Varnham  was  less  attractive,  in  spite 


24  PEGGY. 

of  her  bright  hazel  eyes  and  pretty  fluffy 
hair ;  there  was  a  supercilious  lift  to  her  eye 
brows,  an  unamiable  droop  to  the  corners  of 
her  mouth.  Peggy  did  not  make  this  analy 
sis  ;  she  only  thought,  "  I  shall  not  like  her, 
I  know  I  sha'n't !  " 

The  girls  chattered  away  without  much 
regard  to  her,  and  she  only  half  understood 
their  talk. 

"  My  dear !  Have  you  heard  ? "  This  was 
from  Viola  to  Bertha  Haughton.  She  patted 
herself  all  over  while  she  talked,  now  her 
hair,  now  her  collar,  now  her  blouse,  little 
approving  pats. 

"You  never  hear  anything,  you  owls! 
When  is  the  Snowy  coming  back  ?  She  has 
been  away  forty  years  !  I  simply  can't  exist 
without  her.  Why,  my  dear,  we  are  to  have 
the  straw-ride  after  all.  Miss  Russell  says  we 
may.  Isn't  it  perfly  fine ?" 

"Are  you  sure?"  said  Bertha  Haughton, 
doubtfully.  "You  know  last  time  she  said 
we  couldn't  go  again,  because  Grace  acted  so, 
pulling  out  the  linch-pin  and  dropping  us  all 
into  the  road." 


A    NEW    WOULD.  25 

"  My  dear,  I  know !  that's  just  it !  The 
Goat  went  to  her  this  morning  and  said  she 
would  stay  at  home  and  do  double  lessons  if 
the  rest  of  us  could  only  go.  Noble  of  the 
Goat,  I  call  it ;  only  it  won't  be  half  so  much 
fun  without  her,  and  Billy  gone,  too.  Oh, 
you  can't  possibly  imagine  how  we  miss  Billy. 
How  forlorn  this  room  looks  without  all  her 
pretty  things  !  "  She  glanced  about  the  room. 
"  Perf'ly  awful,  isn't  it  ?  "  she  said. 

Poor  Peggy  flushed  scarlet.  Bertha  Haugh- 
ton  flashed  her  a  glance  of  indignant  sym 
pathy. 

"Billy  had  the  room  simply  ridiculous!" 
she  said,  hastily.  "  Almost  as  bad  as  your 
toyshop,  Vanity.  I  can't  abide  a  frippy 
room  ! " 

Viola  Vincent  opened  her  blue  eyes  wide. 
"What  ruffled  you  up,  Fluffy?"  she  said. 
"  I  didn't*  say  anything  about  the  Nest." 
Then,  happening  to  glance  at  Peggy,  she 
realised  what  she  had  said,  and  blushed  a 
little  herself. 

"  I'm  sure  I  didn't  mean  anything ! "  she 
cried,  with  a  little  giggle.  "  Of  course  when 


26  PEGGYo 

Miss  Montfort  gets  all  her  things  out  and 
arranged,  it  will  be  quite  charming,  I'm  sure 
it  will." 

"  I  haven't  any  more  things  !  "  said  honest 
Peggy.  She  managed  to  keep  her  voice 
steady,  but  the  tears  would  come  into  her 
eyes,  and  she  raged  at  herself. 

"  Oh,  you'll  accumulate  them  !  "  said  good- 
natured  Yiola,  who  liked  to  have  people  com 
fortable,  if  it  did  not  take  too  much  trouble. 
"  Won't  she,  V.  ?  We  had  hardly  anything 
when  we  came,  had  we,  V.  ?  Barns,  my  dear, 
were  nothing  to  us,  were  they,  V.  ?  " 

"  Oh,  of  course  not !  "  assented  Miss  Yarn- 
ham  ;  but  her  smile  was  so  like  a  sneer,  and 
her  glance  about  the  room  so  cold  and  con 
temptuous,  that  Peggy  felt  dislike  hardening 
at  her  heart. 

"  What  is  all  that  noise  in  the  entry  ? " 
exclaimed  Bertha  Haughton,  anxious  to 
change  the  conversation.  "  It  sounds  as  if 
an  elephant  were  coming  to  call." 

Yiola  Yincent  fluttered  to  the  door,  patting 
her  waist  affectionately  as  she  went. 

"  My    dear ! "     she    cried,   in   high-pitched 


A    NEW    WORLD,  27 

staccato  tones0  "  It's  a  box,  an  express  box. 
Oh?  it's  a  perfect  monster,  a  mammoth  !  Yi, 
this  must  be  your  dresses.  Hurrah !  we'll 
have  a  grand  trying  on." 

Yivia  Yarnham  looked  out.  A  burly  ex 
pressman  was  staggering  forward  with  an 
enormous  box,  almost  as  big  as  a  packing- 
case. 

"  Take  it  in  there  !  "  she  said,  imperiously, 
motioning  across  the  corridor.  "  Put  it  down 
carefully,  mind  !  Miss  Yarnham,  is  it  ?  " 

"  No,  miss,"  said  the  man,  respectfully. 
"Miss  Montfort!" 

"  Me !  "  cried  Peggy,  starting  to  her  feet. 
"  Oh,  there  must  be  some  mistake.  I  wasn't 
—  there's  nothing  coming  for  me." 

"  It  must  be  for  you  !  "  said  Bertha  Haugh- 
ton.  "  There  is  no  other  Miss  Montfort  in  the 
school.  Look  at  the  address,  and  you  may 
know  the  handwriting  !  " 

Peggy  looked.     In  a  clear,  bold  hand  was 

written : 

Miss  Peggy  Montfort, 

At  Miss  Russell's  School, 

Pentland. 
Glass,  with  care.  All  charges  paid. 


28  PEGGY, 

"Oh  !"  she  cried,  clasping  her  hands.  "It 
is  for  me  !  It's  from  Uncle  John  !  Oh,  what 
do  you  suppose  —  what  can  it  be  ?  " 

"  Bring  it  in  here,  please,"  said  Bertha 
Haughton,  quietly,  to  the  man,  who  still 
stood  balancing  the  box.  "  There  !  set  it 
against  the  wall ;  thank  you  !  Now,"  as  the 
man  departed,  "  we  need  a  screw-driver.  Have 
you  one,  Viola  ? " 

"  My  dear  /  I  had  one,  but  the  Goat  broke 
it,  using  it  for  a  step,  you  know,  to  get  up  to 
the  next  story.  I  use  a  can-opener  now,  but 
that  will  only  do  for  small  boxes.  I  don't 
have  —  well,  State  Houses,  coming  every 
day,"  she  added,  with  a  good-natured  laugh, 
glancing  at  the  great  box. 

Bertha  Haughton  ran  to  fetch  a  screw 
driver  from  her  room,  and  the  other  two 
girls  moved  toward  the  door.  Vivia  Yarn- 
ham  looked  black.  She  had  made  sure  the 
box  was  for  her,  and  felt  aggrieved  at  the 
stupid  freshman  who  appropriated  it.  Viola 
Vincent,  on  the  other  hand,  was  delighted. 
"I'm  awfully  glad!"  she  said.  "It's  simply 
dandy,  having  a  box  come.  Ta,  ta !  I  hope 


A    NEW    WORLD .  29 

it  will  be  something  perf'ly  splendid,  dresses 
and  hats  and  all  kinds  of  giddiness.  I  love 
giddiness  !  When  you  want  to  be  giddy,  you 
must  come  to  us ;  the  Owls  are  too  worthy. 
There's  Fluffy  back  again  with  the  screw 
driver.  Ta  again  !  Awfully  glad  !  " 

Peggy  was  half  inclined  to  ask  Viola  to 
stay,  but  still  it  was  rather  a  relief  when  the 
opposite  door  closed.  Whatever  the  box  con 
tained,  she  could  not  have  enjoyed  it  with 
those  sharp,  cold  eyes  of  Viola  Varnham 
looking  on. 

"Here  is  the  screw-driver!"  cried  Bertha, 
out  of  breath  with  her  flight  along  the  cor 
ridor.  "  It's  very  strong,  you  need  not  be 
afraid  of  pressing  on  it.  Can  I  do  anything 
more  to  help  you  ?  If  not,  I  must  go.  I  hope 
it  is  something  very  nice  indeed !  " 

"  Go  !  you  !  "  cried  Peggy .  "  Oh,  must 
you  ?  Can't  you  stay  and  help  me  see  what 
it  is  ?  It  isn't  any  fun  opening  boxes  alone," 
she  added,  piteously. 

The  girl  does  not  live  who  would  not  rather 
unpack  a  box  than  eat  her  dinner.  "  If  you 
are  sure  you  want  me."  said  Bertha.  "  I 


30  PEGGYo 

didn't  want  to  be  in  the  way9  that  was 
all." 

"  In  the  way  !  Oh,  Miss  Haughton  !  Why, 
you  are  the  only  friend  I  have  here  in  this 
lonesome  place." 

"  If  I  am  going  to  be  your  friend,  I  am  not 
going  to  be  Miss  Haughton  another  minute. 
Do  you  really  want  me  to  stay,  Peggy  ?  " 

"  I  do,  Bertha,  indeed  I  do/' 

"  Honour  bright  ?  " 

"  Honour  brightest !  " 

"  Hurrah,  then  !     And  now  for  the  box  !  " 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY. 

THE  box  was  no  ordinary  rough  affair, 
knocked  together  for  simple  purposes  of  trans 
portation.  It  was  neatly  and  carefully  made, 
the  edges  fitting  closely  together,  the  lid 
furnished  with  hinges. 

"  We  must  take  care  how  we  open  this  !  " 
said  Bertha.  "  It  would  be  a  shame  to  spoil 
such  a  fine  box." 

Peggy  was  used  to  tools  of  every  descrip 
tion,  and  she  drew  out  the  screws  deftly,  then 
lifted  the  lid.  Both  girls  bent  eagerly  for 
ward.  Nothing  was  visible  but  white  paper, 
neatly  fitted  to  the  top  of  the  box.  Yes  !  on 
the  paper  lay  a  card,  on  which  was  written, 
"  For  Peggy's  housekeeping.  From  Uncle 
John  and  Margaret,  with  best  love." 

The  handwriting  was  Margaret's,  and  Peggy 


31 


32  PEGGY. 

seized  and  kissed  it  before  going  further.  "  It 
is  Margaret!"  she  said.  "  Dear,  darling 
Margaret,  the  best  friend  I  have  in  the  world. 
Oh,  how  dear  and  kind  and  lovely  of  them 
both  !  What  do  you  suppose  they  have  sent 


me? 


"  Suppose  we  see  !  "  said  Bertha  Haughton. 
Yet  both  girls  lingered  a  moment,  tasting  the 
joy  of  suspense. 

It  was  not  a  joy  to  be  long  indulged,  how 
ever.  Together  they  lifted  the  paper,  and 
lo  !  more  paper,  but  this  time  enveloping  vari 
ous  mysterious  packages  neatly  tied  with  pink 
tape. 

"  Margaret's  tape  !  "  cried  Peggy.  "  Uncle 
John  gave  her  a  great  big  spool  of  it,  because 
she  said  she  had  never  seen  enough  in  her 
life.  Oh,  what  a  fat  bundle!  You  shall 
open  it,  Bertha,  because  you  have  been  so 
good  to  me." 

"  Open  your  bundle  !  "  cried  Bertha.  "  In 
deed  I  will  not !  I  never  heard  of  such  a 
thing.  Be  quick,  though,  for  I  do  want  to 


see." 


The  big  square  parcel  revealed  an  afghan, 


THE    BOX    FROM    FER1SXEY.  33 

knitted  in  long  stripes  of  red  and  blue,  the 
colours  rich  and  warm,  and  harmonising 
pleasantly. 

"  Oh,  what  a  beauty !  "  cried  Bertha,  while 
Peggy  gazed  in  silent  delight.  "  My  dear,  it 
warms  the  whole  room !  and  the  length  of  it, 
and  the  breadth  !  why,  it  will  go  on  double. 
I  never  saw  such  a  splendid  one." 

Indeed,  the  great  afghaii  had  been  Mar 
garet's  "  pick-up  work  "  ever  since  she  first 
heard  that  Peggy  was  going  to  school,  and 
loving  thoughts  were  knitted  into  every  stripe. 

"What  next?"  said  Bertha.  "My  dear, 
sofa-pillows  !" 

So  they  were,  four  of  them,  each  prettier 
than  the  other. 

"But  what  shall  I  do  with  them?"  said 
Peggy,  with  a  comical  glance  around  the  room. 
"•  There's  no  sign  of  a  sofa.  Never  mind ! 
they  are  perfect  beauties.  Oh,  and  what  can 
this  be  ?  Oh,  Bertha,  see,  it  is  a  bookcase  !  " 

The  six  pieces  of  polished  wood  were  quickly 
fitted  together,  and  there  was  indeed  a  book 
case,  not  very  large,  but  still  ample  to  contain 
all  the  books  Peggy  would  be  likely  to  need. 


34 


PEGGY. 


"Where  are  your  books?"  asked  Bertha, 
innocently  •  and  Peggy  hung  her  head. 

"My  Bible  is  in  my  drawer/'  she  said. 
"I —  I  didn't  bring  any  other  books.  I'm 
a  dreadful  dunce/'  she  added,  timidly.  "I 
might  as  well  tell  you  now,  for  you'd  find  it 
out  anyhow,  the  very  first  time  you  talked 
about  books.  I  don't  —  care  —  about  them, 
much." 

"  Oh  !  "  and  Bertha  looked  a  little  blank, 
being  a  bookworm  herself.  "  But  there  must 
be  some  books  you  are  fond  of,  Peggy  ?  " 

Peggy  shook  her  head  despondently.  "I 
don't  believe  there  are,"  she  said.  "  Oh,  of 
course  I  like  '  Treasure  Island/  and  '  Kobin 
Hood/  and  that  kind  of  thing.  But  history, 
and  the  Waverley  Novels  — why,  Margaret 
would  like  to  read  the  Waverley  Novels  all 
day;  and  they  put  me  to  sleep  in  five 
minutes." 

She  looked  anxiously  at  her  new  friend,  to 
see  the  effect  of  this  dreadful  confession ;  but 
Bertha  only  laughed.  "  Well,  I  love  the 
Waverleys  very  much  myself/'  she  said ; 
"  but  I  know  everybody  doesn't  care  for 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  35 

them.  But  when  you  want  to  read,  Peggy, 
what  do  you  do  ?  " 

"But  I  don't  want  to  read/'  said  Peggy, 
humbly.  "It  —  it  seems  such  a  waste  of 
time  ;  except  Coues,  of  course,  and  he  wouldn't 
go  in  my  trunk,  and  Pa  is  going  to  send  him 
by  express." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Bertha,  puz 
zled  in  her  turn.  "  Cows  !  " 

"  Yes,  the  book,  you  know  !  Oh,  I  couldn't 
live  without  that." 

"  Do  you  mean  a  herd-book  ?  Of  course, 
you  said  you  lived  on  a  farm.  You  mean  that 
you  study  pedigrees  and  that  kind  of  thing  ?  " 

Now  it  was  Peggy's  turn  to  laugh,  as  she 
explained  that  she  meant  Prof.  J.  Elliott 
Coues's  admirable  book  on  birds. 

aPa  has  Samuels,"  she  added,  "but  I 
couldn't  bring  that,  because  it  is  out  of  print, 
and  too  valuable.  Besides,  he  isn't  so  thorough 
as  Coues,  don't  you  know,  especially  in  anat 
omy  and  that  part.  Is  there  a  good  class  in 
anatomy  here?  Of  course  I  shall  want  to 
join  that." 

"  Oh,  dear  !  "  cried  Bertha,  in  comical  dis- 


36  PEGGY. 

may,  "  I  don't  know  !  Peggy  Montfort,  you 
are  not  a  dunce  at  all;  you  are  just  sham 
ming.  The  idea  of  any  one  wanting  to  study 
anatomy !  " 

"  The  idea  of  wanting  to  study  anything 
else,"  cried  Peggy,  "  except  physics  and 
geometry.  It's  this  horrible  literature  and 
stuff  that  I  cannot  bear.  But  we  can't  stop 
and  talk,  with  the  box  only  half  unpacked. 
Oh,  pictures !  Now  I  do  like  pictures,  when 
they  are  the  right  kind.  Bertha,  look  at  this, 
will  you  ?  " 

With  difficulty  she  lifted  out  a  large  pic 
ture  which  filled  the  box  from  end  to  end. 
Both  girls  uttered  a  cry  of  delight.  It  was 
the  "  Automedon  "  of  Henri  Regnault.  The 
great  horses  rearing  and  plunging,  the  heroic 
figure  of  the  charioteer,  seemed  to  take  Peggy's 
breath.  "It  —  it's  the  kind  of  thing  you 
dream  about,  isn't  it?"  she  said.  "They  are 
alive;  I  believe  they'll  break  through  the 
glass  in  another  minute.  Oh,  there  can't  be 
anything  else  as  splendid  as  this! " 

But  when  she  drew  out  next  a  fine  photo 
graph  of  "  The  Night  Watch,"  she  hardly 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  37 

knew  what  to  say.  The  gleaming  eyes  of  the 
lions,  prowling  among  the  ruined  columns, 
fascinated  her  almost  as  much  as  the  wild 
horses  had  done.  She  had  less  to  say  to  the 
beautiful  photograph  of  the  Sistine  Madonna, 
which  came  next;  yet  she  looked  at  it  with 
eyes  of  wistful  affection.  It  was  Margaret's 
favourite  picture,  and  she  loved  it  on  that  ac 
count  as  well  as  its  own.  Yet  her  taste  was 
for  "critters,"  as  she  freely  acknowledged; 
and  she  glowed  again  as  Bertha  held  up  an 
engraving  of  "  Sheridan's  Ride,"  with  the 
great  captain  riding  straight  out  of  the  pic 
ture  at  her. 

"That's  the  kind  of  thing  she  wants!" 
Mr.  Montfort  had  said,  when  he  and  his  niece 
Margaret  were  having  their  delightful  "  Peggy- 
lark,"  as  he  called  it.  "  The  Sistine  by  all 
means,  Meg ;  but  no  more  old  masters  for  our 
Peggy.  She  won't  understand  them,  and  she 
won't  like  them.  What  was  it  she  said  about 
your  pet  St.  Anthony  ?  " 

"  She  said  he  looked  as  if  he  had  gone  out 
for  clams  and  fallen  into  the  mud  !  "  said  Mar 
garet,  rather  ruefully.  "I  suppose  you  are 


38  PEGGY. 

right,  Uncle  John;  but,  oh,  do  look  at  this 
lovely  Murillo  angel !  How  could  she  help 
loving  this?" 

"The  anatomy  of  it  would  distress  her," 
said  Mr.  Montfort,  dryly.  "  You  know  Peggy 
is  strong  on  anatomy.  Better  take  the  '  Auto- 
medon.' ' 

"Which  you  said  was  out  of  drawing!" 
cried  Margaret,  with  a  flash  of  mischief.  "  Oh, 
if  you  are  going  to  put  false  ideas  into  her 
head,  Uncle  John  —  "  on  which  she  was  very 
properly  told  to  choose  her  pictures,  and  not 
be  saucy. 

The  last  picture  in  the  box  had  not  been 
chosen  in  any  picture-shop  ;  and  at  sight  of  it 
Peggy  sat  down  on  the  bed  and  began  to  cry. 

«  Oh,  dear  !  "  she  said.  "  What  shall  I  do  ? 
Oh,  Margaret,  Margaret,  what  shall  I  do  ?  " 

Kind-hearted  Bertha  was  distressed.  "  Don't 
cry,  dear!"  she  said.  "I  know!  I  know 
just  how  it  feels.  Is  it  your  father  and 
sister?" 

"No!  oh,  no!"  said  Peggy,  wiping  her 
eyes.  "  Of  course  it's  different  with  Pa  and 
the  girls,  because  I.  shall  be  going  home  every 


THE    BOX    FROM    FEKNXEY.  39 

vacation,  you  know.  But  I  never  was  so 
happy  in  all  my  life  as  I  was  there ;  and 
seeing  it  —  it  is  Fernley,  and  Uncle  John 
and  Margaret." 

The  large  photograph  showed  a  stately 
house  shadowed  by  lofty  trees.  Standing  on 
the  stone  verandah  were  two  figures,  one,  that 
of  a  tall  man  in  a  black  velvet  coat,  with 
bright  dark  eyes;  the  other  a  slender  girl 
with  a  sweet,  thoughtful  face.  Both  seemed 
to  be  looking  straight  at  Peggy,  and  she  felt 
Uncle  John's  kind  look  and  Margaret's  tender 
smile  like  warmth  at  her  heart. 

"I —  I'm  only  crying  because  —  I'm  — 
glad ! "  she  said.  And  Bertha  seemed  to 
understand  that,  too. 

But  the  wonderful  box  was  not  yet  empty ; 
it  really  seemed  like  the  famous  bag  of  the 
Fairy  Blackstick.  Out  came  a  gay  Oriental 
cloth,  which  made  another  thing  of  the  chilly 
little  polished  table ;  item,  a  bureau-cover 
embroidered  with  gold-coloured  chrysanthe 
mums  ;  item,  a  wonderful  work-basket,  fitted 
with  everything  that  a  needlewoman's  heart 
could  desire ;  item,  a  spirit-lamp  and  a  hot- 


40  PEGGY. 

water  bottle,  and  a  neat  little  tool-chest. 
Peggy  sighed  over  the  work-basket,  and  re 
solved  to  do  her  very  best,  but  at  sight  of  the 
tool-chest  her  eyes  sparkled,  and  she  seized 
upon  it  with  delight,  and  caressed  each  shining 
implement  as  if  it  were  a  living  and  beloved 
creature. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  little  duck  of  a 
saw?"  she  cried.  "Oh,  I  must  go  to  work 
and  make  something  this  very  day.  Only, 
these  two  dears  have  sent  me  everything  that 
I  could  ever  possibly  need.  What  is  that, 
Bertha  ?  There  can't  be  anything  more  !  " 

There  could,  though,  and  was.  The  bottom 
of  the  box  was  fitted  with  a  cushion  or  mat 
tress  of  chintz,  chrysanthemums  again,  on  a 
pale  green  ground  ;  and  the  last  parcel  of 
all  contained  several  yards  of  the  same  ma 
terial. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  —  Oh,  I  see  !  " 
cried  Peggy.  "  The  box, — we  wondered  why 
it  was  such  a  good  box,  don't  you  know  ?  It 
is  to  be  a  kind  of  sofa,  or  window-seat,  or 
something  ;  and  this  is  the  cushion,  and  the 
rest  is  for  a  flounce  and  curtains.  Oh,  dear, 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  41 

did  you  ever  hear  of  anything  so  perfectly 
lovely  ?  Dear  Uncle  John,  clear  Margaret !  " 
and  she  wept  again,  and,  in  default  of  Mar 
garet,  hugged  the  biggest  sofa-pillow,  a  won 
derful  affair  of  soft  yellow  silk,  with  ruffles 
and  puffles. 

"Come,"  said  Bertha,  "this  will  never  do, 
Peggy !  We  must  get  these  all  arranged 
before  tea,  mustn't  we  ?  The  gong  will  sound 
in  a  few  minutes." 

Peggy  dried*  her  tears,  and  the  two  girls 
went  to  work  with  right  good  will.  In  ten 
minutes  the  dreary  room  was  as  cheerful  and 
homelike  a  place  as  heart  could  desire.  The 
pictures  were  hung  (I  forgot  to  mention  that 
the  fairy  box  contained  picture-hooks  and 
wire,  hidden  away  in  a  corner),  the  cushions 
fitted,  the  chintz  tacked  in  a  neat  flounce 
around  the  box,  which  straightway  became  a 
divan,  and  looked  positively  Oriental  with  the 
pillows  heaped  with  careful  carelessness  on  it. 

Peggy  stood  and  surveyed  the  whole  effect 
with  shining  eyes.  "  When  the  curtains  are 
up  — "  she  said,  and  looked  inquiringly  at 
Bertha. 


42  PEGGY. 

"  When  the  curtains  are  up,"  said  Bertha, 
"  it  will  be  one  of  the  pleasantest  rooms  in 
the  whole  school." 

And  then  the  gong  sounded,  and  they  went 
down  to  tea. 

A  throng  of  girls  was  pouring  into  the 
great  dining-room.  Few  of  them  noticed  the 
newcomer,  being  taken  up  with  their  own 
concerns,  laughing  and  chatting,  hurrying  to 
their  places  ;  yet  Peggy  felt  as  if  all  eyes 
were  upon  her.  She  clung  "close  to  Bertha 
Haughton's  arm ;  but  now  that  friendly  arm 
was  drawn  away. 

"I  must  leave  you  here,  Peggy,"  said 
Bertha. 

"  Oh,  don't  leave  me  !  Oh,  can't  I  sit  by 
you?"  asked  poor  Peggy,  in  an  agonised 
whisper. 

"  No,  dear,  I  have  to  go  over  there,  quite 
to  the  other  side  of  the  room.  See,  Miss 
Russell  is  beckoning  to  you.  You  are  to  sit 
at  her  table,  with  the  other  freshmen.  Cheer 
up,  Peggy,  it'll  be  all  right  after  the  first 
minute." 

Bertha  nodded  kindly,  and  took  her  way 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  43 

across  the  hall,  while  Peggy  stumbled  along, 
tripping  over  several  dresses  (she  always 
stumbled  when  she  was  embarrassed),  to  the 
table  where  the  Principal  sat.  There  were 
six  tables,  twelve  girls  to  each  table,  with  a 
teacher  at  the  head.  Miss  Russell  greeted 
Peggy  pleasantly,  and  it  occurred  to  our 
friend  for  the  first  time  that  the  Principal 
was  not  a  Gorgon,  but  a  human  being,  with 
a  grave  face,  it  is  true,  but  with  kind  and 
friendly  eyes. 

"  I  trust  you  have  been  resting  after  your 
journey,  Miss  Montfort  !  Yes  ?  That  is 
good.  Coming  so  late  yesterday  you  did  not 
meet  your  classmates,  who  had  already  gone 
to  their  rooms.  Miss  Parkins,  Miss  Barclay, 
Miss  Manton,  —  this  is  Miss  Peggy  Montfort. 
I  hope  you  will  introduce  her  to  the  other 
young  ladies  after  tea." 

The  three  girls  nearest  Peggy  bowed,  all 
more  or  less  shyly ;  it  was  comforting  to  feel 
that  there  were  others  who  felt  as  strange  as 
she  did.  In  fact,  Miss  Parkins,  who  sat  on 
her  left,  was  so  manifestly  and  miserably 
frightened  that  Peggy  felt  herself  a  lion  by 


44  PEGGY. 

comparison,  and,  by  way  of  improving  ac 
quaintance,  asked  her  boldly  for  the  salt. 

Miss  Parkins  gasped,  shivered,  clutched 
the  pepper-pot,  and  dropped  it  into  her  own 
plate.  The  other  freshmen  giggled  nerv 
ously,  but  Peggy  glowed  with  compassion  and 
sympathy. 

"  Never  mind  !  "  she  whispered.  "  That's 
just  the  kind  of  thing  I  am  doing  all  the 
time.  There  is  the  salt ;  why,  I  can  reach 
it  myself,  and  nobody  ever  wants  pepper, 
anyhow.  There,  that's  all  right !  " 

The  girl  lifted  a  pair  of  eyes  so  red  with 
crying,  so  humble  and  grateful  and  altogether 
piteous,  that  Peggy's  own  eyes  almost  over 
flowed.  She  put  her  hand  under  the  table, 
found  a  little  limp,  cold  paw,  and  gave  it 
a  hearty  squeeze.  "  Cheer  up  !  "  she  said. 
"  It'll  be  better  pretty  soon,  I  —  I  guess. 
I  am  —  homesick  —  too  !  " 

Then,  finding  a  sob  rising  in  her  throat,  she 
hastily  filled  her  mouth  with  buttered  toast, 
choked,  and  caught  herself  with  a  wild  sound, 
half  cough,  half  snort,  that  brought  the  eyes 
of  the  whole  table  upon  her.  The  strange 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  45 

thing  was,  Peggy  did  not  seem  to  care  this 
time.  They  were  only  freshmen  like  herself. 
Any  one  of  them  might  have  choked  just  as 
well  as  she,  and  she  was  bigger  than  any  of 
them.  If  those  other  girls  had  seen,  now  ! 
not  Bertha,  but  the  other  two  !  She  glanced 
over  to  the  opposite  table,  where  the  two  V's 
sat  facing  her;  but  they  were  chattering 
away,  with  no  thought  of  freshmen  or  their 
doings.  Viola  Vincent  looked  very  pretty  in 
a  pale  blue  blouse  and  white  pique  skirt ;  she 
was  evidently  in  high  spirits,  and  was  patting 
her  hair  and  her  waist  with  perfect  satisfaction. 

"  Perf 'ly  fine  !  "  came  to  Peggy's  ears,  in 
her  clear  piping  voice.  "  My  dear,  it  will  be 
simply  dandy  /  " 

Peggy  glanced  at  the  Principal,  she  hardly 
knew  why,  except  that  Margaret  disliked 
slang ;  and  she  saw  her  brows  contract  with  a 
momentary  look  of  vexation.  "  It  does  sound 
rather  horrid  !  "  she  thought.  "  I  wonder  if  I 
shall  have  to  give  up  saying  '  awfully  ! '  That 
would  be  perfectly  awful.  Besides,  it  sounds 
awfully  affected  to  talk  like  a  book  all  the 
time." 


46  PEGGY. 

Thus  meditating,  Peggy  let  her  napkin  slip 
down  to  the  floor.  Her  neighbour  saw  it,  and 
both  stooped  at  the  same  time  to  pick  it  up. 
Their  heads  came  together  with  a  violent 
crack.  "  Ow  !  "  cried  Peggy,  and  rubbed  her 
flaxen  poll  vigorously.  Miss  Parkins  was  too 
frightened  to  know  whether  she  was-  hurt  or 
not.  "  Never  mind  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  It  was 
my  fault  just  as  much  as  yours.  Did  you  get 
an  awful  crack  ?  Oh !  I  mean,  did  you  hurt 
yourself  ?  " 

The  poor  girl  murmured  something,  but  it 
was  more  like  a  sob  than  a  speech ;  and 
Peggy  could  only  press  the  limp  hand  again, 
and  resolve  that  when  she  knew  the  girl  a 
little  better  she  would  try  to  put  some  spirit 
into  her.  Her  own  spirit  was  rising.  She 
felt  that  ten  pairs  of  eyes  were  watching  her 
furtively ;  that  her  companions  were  taking 
notes,  and  that  every  spoonful  she  ate  was 
counted  and  criticised ;  but  still  her  courage 
was  good,  and  she  was  even  able  to  notice 
that  the  biscuits  were  light  and  the  peach 
preserves  delicious. 

I  said  ten  pairs  of  eyes,  for  the  eleventh 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  47 

had  never  been  lifted  above  the  level  of  the 
table-cloth,  save  for  that  one  grateful  glance 
over  the  spilt  pepper.  Certainly  Miss  Par 
kins  was  a  queer-looking  little  person.  Very 
small  and  slight,  with  a  certain  wizened  look 
that  did  not  belong  to  so  young  a  face  ;  a  long, 
thin  nose,  and  two  small  reddish-brown  eyes 
that  looked  as  if  they  had  always  been  given 
to  crying.  The  child  —  she  did  not  look  more 
than  a  child  —  had  no  beauty  of  any  kind ; 
yet  a  certain  gentleness  of  look  redeemed  the 
poor  little  face  from  absolute  ugliness.  She 
was  queerly  dressed,  too.  Her  gown  was  of 
good,  even  rich  material,  but  in  questionable 
taste,  and  cut  in  a  fashion  that  might  have 
suited  her  grandmother.  Peggy's  own  ideas 
of  dress  were  primitive,  and  she  was  not  very 
observant,  but  she  did  feel  that  blue  poplin 
stamped  with  large  red  roses  was  not  a  suit 
able  dress  for  a  schoolgirl,  even  if  she  were 
not  small  and  plain  and  wizened,  and  even  if 
it  were  not  cut  in  a  bygone  fashion. 

Peggy  saw,  or  fancied  she  saw,  glances  of 
amused  contempt  thrown  at  her  poor  little 
neighbour. 


48  PEGGY. 

"  All  the  more  reason,"  she  thought,  ".why 
I  should  make  friends  with  her." 

"  Do  you  —  did  you  come  yesterday,  or  the 
day  before?"  she  asked,  as  cheerfully  as  she 
could. 

"  Oh !  yes,  I  think  so  !  "  was  the  reply,  in  a 
gasping  whisper.  This  was  not  very  encour 
aging,  but  Peggy  proceeded. 

"  Did  you  have  far  to  come  ?  I  came  all  the 
way  from  Ohio." 

"  Oh !  no,  I  don't  think  so  !  " 

"  It  took  me  all  day  to  get  here.  It's 
horrid  travelling  alone,  don't  you  think  so  ? " 

"  Oh  !  I  —  don't  know  !  I  never  travelled." 

On  the  whole,  the  girl  seemed  so  distressed 
that  Peggy  felt  it  would  be  a  cruel  kindness 
to  pursue  the  conversation.  "  I  needn't  talk 
to  the  others,"  she  said  to  herself.  "  They 
came  before  I  did;  they  can  talk  to  me  if 
they  want  to." 

But  now  supper  was  over,  and  the  girls 
rose  with  a  whirr,  like  a  flock  of  pigeons,  and 
fluttered  out  of  the  dining-room.  Peggy 
looked  longingly  after  Bertha  Haughton ; 
indeed,  Bertha  seemed  to  be  lingering,  look- 


THE    BOX    FROM    FERNLEY.  49 

ing  for  her ;  but  at  that  moment  two  or  three 
girls  swooped  down  upon  the  junior,  and 
began  a  hubbub  of  questions.  Peggy  felt  all 
her  shyness  rushing  back  in  a  flood.  Turning 
to  flee,  she  almost  fell  over  little  Miss  Parkins, 
who  was  hastening  on  her  way,  too.  "  Come  !  " 
said  Peggy.  "  We  are  both  strange  cats ; 
suppose  we  stay  together !  What  happens 
now,  do  you  know  ?  This  is  my  first  evening 
here.  It's  awfully  queer,  isn't  it?" 

"Oh!"  gasped  Miss  Parkins.  "They  — 
she  —  read  something  last  night.  Don't  you 
think  I  might  go  to  my  room  ?  I  want  to  go 
to  my  room  !  Don't  you  think  I  might  ?  " 

"  Of  course  you  may !  "  said  Peggy,  on  fire 
with  sympathy.  "  It's  a  pity  if  you've  got 
to  hear  reading  when  you  don't  want  to. 
Cut  along,  young  'un  !  " 

Her  brother's  familiar  phrase  rose  natu 
rally  to  her  lips ;  it  was  unfortunate  that  at 
that  moment  one  of  the  teachers  happened 
to  pass  by.  She  was  a  long,  sallow  woman, 
with  greenish  eyes  set  too  near  together,  and 
the  gaze  she  fixed  upon  Peggy  was  appalling 
in  its  severity. 


50  PEGGY. 

"  Young  ladies  are  required  to  attend  the 
reading  !  "  she  said.  "  Your  expression  is  an 
improper  one,  Miss  Montfort !  "  and  pinching 
her  lips  together  she  passed  on. 

"  My  goodness  gracious  me !  "  whispered 
Peggy.  "Who  is  that?" 

"  Oh  !  hush  !  oh,  don't !  "  whispered  Lobelia 
Parkins,  miserably.  "  She's  going  to  read 
to-night,  because  the  Principal  has  a  cold  ; 
I  heard  them  saying  so.  That  is  Miss 
Pugsley !  " 


CHAPTER   III. 


THE    "  GYM." 


PEGGY'S  pillow  was  quite  damp  when  she 
went  to  sleep  that  night.  To  be  sure  she  had 
been  cheered  by  a  friendly  call  from  Bertha 
Haughton,  but  even  that  could  not  keep  the 
homesickness  from  triumphing,  when  she  was 
left  alone,  and  the  sounds  in  the  corridor  died 
away,  and  the  light  was  out.  Home  seemed 
so  far,  so  endlessly  far  away ;  she  felt  so 
utterly  alone  in  the  world  !  Education  seemed 
a  foolish  and  meaningless  thing  beside  the 
love  and  comfort  of  home.  What  would  she 
not  give  to  be  able  to  put  out  her  hand  and 
feel  her  sister  Jean  beside  her,  warm  and  lov 
ing,  her  own  flesh  and  blood ! 

So  the  pillow  was  damp,  as  I  have  said ; 
but  Peggy  was  young  and  healthy,  and  she 
fell  asleep  after  awhile,  and  when  she  woke 


51 


PEGGY. 

again  the  sun  was  up  and  the  pillow  was 
dry.  Now  she  did  put  out  her  hand  for  Jean, 
forgetting  where  she  was ;  and  finding  noth 
ing  but  a  cold  wall,  lay  looking  around  her, 
coming  back  to  the  present.  The  room 
looked  very  strange  at  first.  "  Maybe  I'm 
not  awake  ! "  said  Peggy,  wisely ;  then  she 
pinched  herself,  and  with  the  pinch  the  whole 
thing  came  back. 

"  Why,  of  course  !  "  she  said.  "  Oh,  dear  ! 
well,  here  I  am ;  and  I  wanted  to  come,  and 
I've  been  thinking  about  it  for  months,  and 
then  it  goes  and  is  like  this ! "  She  sighed,  and 
wondered  what  they  were  doing  at  home,  and 
at  Fernley ;  then  she  became  interested  in  her 
pretty  room,  and  her  heart  overflowed  once 
more  witli  love  to  her  dear  ones  at  Fernley, 
who  had  made  it  so  bright  and  charming  for 
her.  "  I  know  what  Margaret  would  say  !  " 
exclaimed  Peggy,  raising  her  head  from  the 
pillow.  "  She  would  say, '  Now  you  are  there, 
my  dear,  try  to  make  the  best  of  it ; '  and  so 
I  will !  You  hear  me  !  "  These  last  words 
were  spoken  aloud  with  some  severity,  and 
appeared  to  be  addressed  to  the  brush  and 


THE    "  GYM.'" 


comb,  which  took  no  notice  whatever.  And 
then  Peggy  made  the  best  of  that  moment, 
and  got  up. 

Breakfast  was  another  ordeal,  but  not  so 
bad  as  the  tea  of  the  night  before ;  after 
breakfast  came  prayers,  and  then  the  class 
room.  Peggy  found  herself  seated  at  a  desk, 
beside  one  of  her  classmates,  Rose  Barclay, 
a  pretty  brunette,  with  rosy  cheeks  and  bright 
dark  eyes.  In  the  brief  pause  before  study- 
time,  the  two  girls  made  acquaintance,  and 
Peggy  learned  that  theirs  was  the  largest 
freshman  class  the  school  had  ever  had.  All 
the  others  were  in  the  west  wing,  where  the 
freshmen  belonged. 

"  You  came  late,"  said  Rose  Barclay,  "  and 
that's  why  you  are  over  among  the  Jews  and 
Seas.  That's  what  they  call  the  juniors  and 
seniors;  I've  learned  so  much  already!"  she 
said,  laughing.  "  They  seem  to  have  nicknames 
for  everything  and  everybody  in  this  place." 

"  Yes  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  Even  the  rooms 
are  named  !  "  and  she  told  of  Vanity  Fair  and 
the  Owls'  Nest. 

"Corridor  A?"  asked  Rose  Barclay.  "Oh, 


54  PEGGY. 

they  must  be  Jews.  That  is  Judea,  I  am 
pretty  sure ;  and  the  Senior  Corridor  is  the 
Mediterranean.  It's  awfully  silly,  isn't  it  ? 
and  yet  it's  funny,  too.  I  suppose  we  shall 
get  into  the  swing  of  it  after  awhile.  You 
homesick?" 

Peggy  nodded. 

"So'ml!     Cry  last  night?" 

Peggy  nodded  again. 

"So  did  I !  but  not  so  much  as  the  girl 
next  door  to  me.  My !  she  must  have  cried 
about  all  night,  I  should  think.  I  woke  up 
two  or  three  times,  and  she  was  crying  every 
time,  and  I  heard  her  sniffing  in  her  bath 
this  morning."  • 

"  Why  didn't  you  go  in  and  try  to  cheer 
her  up?"  demanded  Peggy,  rather  fiercely. 

Rose  Barclay  stared.  "  Oh,  I  couldn't 
do  that !  why,  I've  never  spoken  to  her ;  it 
was  that  queer  little  piece  that  sat  next  to 
you.  Besides,  she  looks  as  if  she'd  die  if 
any  one  spoke  to  her." 

The  school  was  called  to  order,  and  Peggy 
soon  forgot  homesickness  and  everything  else 
in  the  keen  joy  of  mathematics. 


IN    THE    "  GYM."  55 

She  had  chosen  the  scientific  course  — 
there  were  three  courses  in  the  school  —  in 
order  to  get  as  much  of  practical  and  as  little 
of  literary  knowledge  as  might  be.  Geometry 
was  her  delight,  and  it  was  geometry  over 
which  she  was  bending  now. 

Most  of  the  teachers  at  Pentland  School 
expected  little  of  the  new  pupil  from  Ohio. 
The  written  examinations  that  Peggy  had 
passed  had  caused  many  a  head-shaking.  The 
history  teacher  sighed ;  the  gentle  mistress 
of  English  literature  groaned,  and  said,  "  Why 
must  this  child  come  here?"  Only  Miss 
Boyle,  the  mistress  of  mathematics,  had 
nodded  her  head  over  the  papers.  "  Here's 
a  girl  who  knows  what  she  is  about !  "  she 
said.  Accordingly,  when  Peggy  entered  class 
this  morning,  she  was  surprised  at  the  cor 
dial  greeting  she  received  from  the  bright- 
eyed  lady  at  the  central  desk ;  and  an  inde 
finable  sense  of  being  at  home  and  among 
friends  stole  gradually  over  her,  as  she 
wrestled  with  one  delightful  problem  after 
another. 

Kose  Barclay,  at  her  side,  was  biting  her 


56  PEGGY. 

pencil  and  twisting  her  pretty  forehead  into 
hard  knots,  and  making  little  progress ;  but 
Peggy  had  forgotten  her  existence.  The 
period  passed  like  a  moment,  as  theorem  after 
theorem  was  disposed  of. 

"  Let  EDF  and  BAG  be  two  triangles,  hav 
ing  the  angle  E  equal  to  the  angle  B,  the 
angle  F  to  the  angle  C,  and  the  included  side 
EF  to  the  included  side  BC ;  then  will  the 
triangle  EDF  be  equal  to  the  triangle  BAG  ?  " 

"  Of  course  it  will !  "  Peggy  drew  triangles 
in  swift  and  accurate  demonstration.  "  Put 
the  side  EF  on  its  equal  BC,  and  let  the 
point  E  fall  on  B,  and  the  point  F  on  C. 
Then,  you  see,  of  course  —  " 

"  I  don't  see  how  any  one  is  ever  to  do  this  !  " 
murmured  her  neighbour,  in  despair.  "  Why ! 
why,  you've  done  yours.  Oh,  just  let  me 
see,  won't  you  ?  I  never  can  work  it  out  in 
the  world,  so  do  let  me  copy  yours  !  " 

Peggy  reddened  to  the  tips  of  her  ears. 
"  Do  you  —  can  you  —  are  we  allowed  to  do 
that  ?  "  she  stammered. 

"  Oh !  Just  as  you  please ! "  said  Rose 
Barclay,  coldly.  "I  thought  you  might  be 


IN  THE  "GYM."  57 

willing  to  oblige  me,  that's  all.  It's  of  no 
consequence !  " 

"  Oh  !  But  you  don't  understand  !  "  whis 
pered  Peggy,  eagerly;  but  Rose  had  turned 
away,  and  paid  no  heed  to  her;  and  Miss 
Boyle  tapped  with  her  pencil  and  said, 
"  Young  ladies !  No  whispering  in  class,  if 
you  please !  " 

In  a  few  minutes  a  bell  rang,  and  all  the 
girls  sprang  up  in  great  relief ;  geometry  was 
not  generally  popular,  and  now  came  the 
"gym"  hour,  dear  to  all.  Peggy  turned  at 
once  to  her  neighbour,  sure  that  she  would  be 
able  to  explain  everything  to  the  satisfaction 
of  both.  To  her  amazement  and  distress  she 
met  a  look  so  cold  and  hostile  that  it  seemed 
to  freeze  the  words  on  her  lips. 

"  Miss  Barclay !  "  she  said,  imploringly. 
"You  didn't  understand  me,  indeed  you 
didn't.  I  should  be  perfectly  delighted  to 
help  you,  of  course  I  should,  only  I  thought 
it  might  be  against  the  rules.  Of  course,  I 
might  have  known  you  would  know  what  is 
allowed.  I'm  awfully  sorry  !  " 

Rose  Barclay  hesitated  ;    her  face  seemed 


58  PEGGY. 

to  soften  for  a  moment ;  then  it  hardened 
again,  and  another  change  came  over  it  which 
Peggy  did  not  comprehend. 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean !  "  she  mut 
tered.  "  Please  excuse  me,  I  am  in  a  hurry." 
She  was  gone,  and  Peggy,  turning  in  great 
distress,  found  Miss  Boyle  standing  at  her 
elbow.  Had  she  heard?  Peggy  was  sure 
she  could  not  have  heard,  for  there  was  no 
look  of  surprise  or  of  anything  peculiar  in 
her  pleasant  face. 

"  You  like  geometry,  Miss  Montfort  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  love  geometry  !  Oh,  please, 
are  we  allowed  to  help  each  other,  Miss 
Boyle?" 

"  Certainly  not !  "  said  Miss  Boyle,  quietly. 
"Not  upon  any  account.  You  can  see  for 
yourself  that  there  would  be  no  use  in  a  girl's 
taking  geometry  if  she  cannot  do  the  work 
herself." 

"  Yes,  I  see  !  I  thought  so,  only  —  thank 
you  very  much.  Do  you  —  shall  I  go  now  ?  " 

She  looked  around,  and  was  startled  to  see 
that  all  the  other  girls  had  disappeared,  and 
she  was  alone  with  the  teacher. 


IN    THE    "  GYM."  59 

Miss  Boyle  smiled,  and  her  smile  was  so 
friendly  that  it  warmed  poor  Peggy's  heart. 

"Yes,  you  may  go  now,"  she  said;  "but 
I  shall  hope  to  see  something  of  you,  Miss 
Montfort.  If  you  will  come  to  my  room 
some  evening,  I  will  show  you  some  pretty 
problems  that  are  not  in  the  text-books." 

With  this,  the  highest  compliment  she  could 
pay  a  pupil,  Miss  Boyle  went  on  her  way ;  and 
Peggy,  after  wandering  through  two  or  three 
deserted  class-rooms,  and  breaking  in  upon  a 
senior  committee-meeting  of  a  highly  private 
nature,  and  walking  into  a  pantry,  found 
herself  at  last  in  the  gymnasium. 

This  was  a  lofty  and  spacious  room,  fitted 
with  every  possible  appliance  for  gymnastic 
exercises.  Peggy's  eyes  brightened  as  she 
gazed  about  her,  at  the  rope-ladders,  the 
parallel  bars,  the  rings  and  vaulting-horses 
and  spring-boards.  If  this  were  not  Para 
dise,  Peggy  did  not  know  what  was,  that 
was  all. 

Some  of  the  girls  were  already  arrayed  in 
blouse  and  full  trousers,  and  were  taking 
their  place  in  ranks,  under  the  eye  of  an 


60  PEGGY. 

alert,  graceful  young  woman  in  a  pretty 
dark  blue  suit.  Others  were  hurrying  up 
from  some  apartment  on  a  lower  floor,  and 
from  the  stairway  came  a  hum  of  voices 
which  showed  that  others  were  still  making 
ready. 

Bertha  Haughton,  in  crimson  blouse  and 
black  trousers,  hurried  up  to  Peggy. 

"  Here  you  are  !  "  she  cried.  "  I  have  been 
trying  to  find  you.  Where  are  your  gym 
things  ?  Haven't  got  any  ?  Oh,  how  too 
bad ! " 

"  I  didn't  know  !  "  said  poor  Peggy.  "  It 
didn't  say  in  the  programme,  did  it  ?  Can't  I 
do  anything  without  them  ?  Oh,  dear." 

Her  face,  so  bright  a  moment  before, 
clouded  so  instantly  with  disappointment  and 
mortification,  that  the  experienced  junior  could 
hardly  repress  a  smile. 

"  My  dear  !  my  dear  !  "  she  cried.  "  Do 
wait  till  I  tell  you.  You  can  wear  the 
Snowy's  things.  She  hasn't  come  back  yet, 
and  you  can  wear  them  just  as  well  as  not 
till  she  comes." 

"  The  Snowy  ?  "  repeated  Peggy.     She  re- 


«  UYM."  61 


THE    "  GYM. 


niembered  vaguely  that  she  had  heard  the 
name,  but  it  meant  nothing  to  her  in  her 
trouble. 

"  Yes,  my  chum,  the  Snowy  Owl.  I'm  the 
Fluffy  one,  don't  you  remember  ?  The  Snowy 
is  a  bit  taller  than  you,  but  that  is  no  matter ; 
you  can  wear  them  perfectly  well,  I  tell  you. 
Come  along,  and  I'll  get  you  into  them." 

Peggy  hung  back,  protesting  faintly  against 
appropriating  the  clothes  of  a  person  she  had 
never  seen  ;  but  finally  she  yielded  to  Bertha's 
vigorous  pulls,  and  followed  her  down  a  wind 
ing  stair,  into  a  narrow  room  filled  with  a 
hubbub  of  girls  in  every  stage  of  dressing 
and  undressing.  Viola  Vincent  fluttered  up 
to  her  (it  is  difficult  to  flutter  in  a  gymna 
sium  suit,  and  only  Viola's  supremely  butter 
fly  quality  enabled  her  to  do  it),  a  charming 
vision  of  pale  blue,  with  a  profusion  of  tiny 
brass  buttons  twinkling  wherever  a  button 
could  be  put. 

"Here  you  are!"  she  cried,  airily.  "I 
haven't  seen  you  for  an  age.  I've  been  tell 
ing  everybody  about  you,  the  V.  V's  vis-a-vis. 
It  sounds  so  quaint,  doesn't  it  ?  I  adore  quaint- 


62  PEGGY. 

ness.  How  do  you  like  my  new  suit,  Fluffy  ? 
Isn't  it  too  cute  for  anything?  This  is  the 
first  time  I've  worn  it;  I  think  it  is  too 
perfectly  sweet  to  live  in,  don't  you?" 

"  I  hope  not ! "  said  Bertha,  laughing. 
"  We  should  be  sorry  to  have  you  pass 
away,  Vanity,  because  your  dress  is  too 
sweet." 

"  No,  but  really ! "  continued  Viola,  ear 
nestly.  "Do  I  exaggerate,  Fluffy?  Isn't  it 
the  sweetest  thing  you  ever  saw  ?  I  ask  be 
cause  I  want  to  know,  you  know  !  " 

Bertha's  only  reply  was  to  pull  her  pink 
ear  good-naturedly,  and  then  dive  head-fore 
most  into  a  locker. 

"  You  find  the  Fluffy  quaint  ? "  said  Viola 
to  Peggy.  "  Yes  ?  she  is  quaint,  but  delicious  ! 
So  is  the  Snowy  !  I  simply  could  not  exist 
without  them ;  they  are  the  guiding  stars  of 
the  corridor,  don't  you  know  ?  What  are  you 
about,  Fluffy  ?  What  are  you  doing  with  the 
Snowy's  togs  ?  She  has  not  come  back,  no  !  " 
clasping  her  hands  in  ecstasy.  "Don't  tell 
me  the  Snowy  has  come  back,  Fluff ! " 

"  I  certainly  won't !  "   said  Bertha,  coolly. 


IN    THE    "  GYM."  63 

"  She  isn't  coming  back  till  day  after  to 
morrow.  Peggy  Montfort  is  going  to  wear 
her  things  till  her  own  are  ready,  that's  all. 
Don't  excite  yourself  too  much,  Vanity ;  it'll 
take  the  colour  out  of  your  hair." 

"No!  Do  you  think  so?"  replied  Viola; 
"  really  ?  ah  !  here's  V.,  ready  at  last.  What  I 
have  to  endure,  V.?  waiting  while  you  prink, 
no  tongue  can  tell.  Ta,  dears,  come  up 
soon ! "  and  she  fluttered  away,  arm  in  arm 
with  her  chum. 

"Is  she  always  like  that?"  asked  Peggy, 
bewildered. 

"  Who  ?  Vanity  ?  Oh,  yes  !  there's  no  possi 
ble  harm  in  Vanity ;  she  is  really  the  best 
hearted  creature  in  the  world.  The  other, 
though,  —  well,  you  want  to  be  a  little  on 
your  guafd  with  Vivia.  Oh,  we  are  the  best 
friends  in  the  world,  of  course ;  only,  her 
temper  is  a  little  uncertain  at  times,  and  it's 
just  as  well  to  know  about  it.  There  !  why, 
the  trousers  fit  you  to  perfection ! "  The 
trousers,  as  wide  as  the  Flying  Dutchman's, 
certainly  fell  comfortably  enough  about  Peg 
gy's  stout  knees. 


64  PEGGY. 

"  Now  for  the  blouse !  I'll  put  it  over  your 
head  !  " 

A  silent  but  breathless  struggle  followed, 
from  which  Peggy  emerged  panting  and  crim 
son,  but  victorious.  "  Oh,  I  do  hope  she  — 
your  chum  —  won't  mind!"  she  cried.  "I 
am  so  afraid  I  shall  get  them  dirty !  "  for  it 
was  a  whim  of  the  Snowy  Owl's  to  wear  a 
white  gym  suit,  and  it  was  as  fresh  as  if  it 
were  just  out  of  the  tub,  as  indeed  it  was. 

"  Oh,  that  is  no  matter  !  She  washes  them 
every  week  ;  she  likes  to  wash ;  it's  one  of  her 
accomplishments.  Come  along  now  !  " 

They  ran  up-stairs,  and  found  the  class  just 
forming  in  ranks.  A  gesture  bade  them  fall 
into  line  with  the  rest,  and  Peggy  stood  with 
her  toes  on  a  chalk  mark,  waiting  the  word 
of  command. 

It  came.  "  Left  foot  forward  —  fall  out !  " 
At  the  command  every  girl  put  out  her  left 
foot  as  far  as  she  could,  and  flung  her  whole 
weight  forward  on  it.  Peggy  did  the  same, 
and  fell  on  her  nose  with  a  resounding  crash. 
The  class  giggled,  but  were  sharply  checked 
by  the  teacher. 


IN  THE  "GYM."  65 

"  We  will  try  this  once  more.  Try  to  bal 
ance  the  body  carefully  !  Take  time  !  Once 
more  !  Left  foot  forward  —  fall  out !  " 

Again  the  line  dropped  forward  with  one 
motion ;  and  again  our  poor  Peggy  fell  on  her 
nose.  '  This  time  the  nose  protested  in  its  way, 
and  bled  ;  great  crimson  drops  fell  on  the  white 
plumage  of  the  Snowy  Owl.  Almost  crying 
with  distress  and  mortification,  Peggy  felt  for 
her  handkerchief.  Alas  !  she  was  not  used  to 
trousers,  and  no  pocket  could  she  find,  though 
there  was  one,  and  her  handkerchief  was  in 
it.  What  should  she  do?  She  was  just 
about  to  make  a  bolt  for  the  stairs,  when  a 
handkerchief  was  thrust  into  her  hand.  She 
clapped  it  to  her  suffering  nose,  and  looked 
gratefully  at  her  left-hand  neighbour  in  the 
ranks.  The  girl  nodded  slightly,  and  said, 
"  All  serene  !  better  ask  leave  to  retire.  Hold 
arms  over  head,  stop  it !  "  She  was  a  slender 
girl,  with  a  pensive  face  and  melancholy  blue 
eyes.  Her  hair  was  plainly  parted,  Madonna- 
fashion,  and  there  was  something  remote  and 
old-world  about  her  whole  look  and  air. 

"  Oh,  thank  you !  "  murmured  poor  Peggy. 


66  PEGGY. 

"  You're  awfully  kind  !  "  She  hoped  the  tire 
some  bleeding  would  stop  on  the  instant,  but 
it  did  not ;  she  was  obliged  to  ask  leave  to  go 
down-stairs ;  and  receiving  it,  dashed  down 
headlong,  and  cannoned  violently  against 
Vivia  Varnham,  who  had  gone  down  for 
something  she  had  forgotten. 

"  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon  !  "  gasped  Peggy. 
"  I'm  — awfully  clumsy —  " 

"  I  think  you  are !  "  said  the  other,  with 
a  flash  of  her  hazel  eyes.  "  Perhaps  you'll  let 
me  pass  now,  please,  before  you  make  another 
exhibition  of  yourself."  She  went  on,  with 
a  scornful  toss  of  her  head. 

Poor  Peggy  !  her  tears  flowed  fast  over  the 
friendly  handkerchief.  "  I  wish  I  was  dead  !  " 
she  sobbed.  "  I  wish  I  had  never  come  to 
this  horrid,  odious  place,  where  everybody  is 
so  hateful.  And  I  can't  hold  up  my  arms 
when  I  have  to  hold  this  to  my  nose  all  the 
time." 

"  Quite  so!  "  said  a  quiet  voice  behind  her. 
The  sad-looking  girl  took  her  hands  and  held 
them  straight  up  in  one  of  her  own,  the  other 
keeping  the  handkerchief  in  position.  No 


IN    THE    "  GYM."  67 

word  was  spoken,  but  in  five  minutes  the 
bleeding  was  stopped. 

"  Basin- — water  ! "  said  the  stranger.  "Don't 
mention  it ! "  as  Peggy  tried  to  falter  her 
thanks.  And  she  was  gone. 

Peggy  waited  till  she  felt  sure  of  herself 
and  her  nose.  Then  she  spoke  severely  to 
herself,  and  asked  what  Uncle  John  would 
say  to  such  behaviour.  "Everybody  isn't 
hateful !  "  she  said.  "  And  anyhow,  there  are 
some  things  there  that  I  can  do,  if  I  haven't 
learned  this  trick.  I  won't  give  up  till  I've 
gone  up  that  rope." 

Her  eye  had  been  caught  by  a  stout  rope 
dangling  from  the  ceiling.  This  was  in  her 
own  line,  and  she  felt  that  if  she  could  redeem 
herself  in  her  own  eyes,  she  should  not  care 
so  much  about  all  those  other  laughing  eyes. 
And  yet,  perhaps  she  thought  more  about 
those  eyes  than  she  was  aware  of,  for  our 
Peggy  was  very  human. 

This  time  fortune  favoured  her.  As  she 
emerged  from  the  lower  regions,  a  girl  was 
just  trying  to  climb  the  rope;  in  fact,  there 
were  three  ropes  hanging  side  by  side,  and 


68  PEGGY. 

the  climbing  of  them  was  part  of  the  regular 
exercise.  She  sought  Bertha,  who  was  most 
sympathetic,  not  having  been  near  enough  to 
help  Peggy. 

"Climb  the  rope?  Oh,  you'd  better  not 
try  that,  Peggy !  it  takes  a  lot  of  practice. 
Why,  I've  been  here  two  years,  and  I  can't 
get  to  the  top  yet.  Really,  it's  very  hard. 
Let's  come  and  swing  on  the  ring,  if  you  are 
quite  sure  about  your  poor  nose." 

But  Peggy  did  not  want  to  swing  on  the 
rings,  nor  to  do  anything  else  that  Bertha 
proposed ;  she  wanted  to  climb  that  rope,  and 
she  meant  to  do  it;  the  prairie  blood  was  roused. 

"Well,  I'll  ask  Miss  Brent,"  said  good- 
natured  Bertha,  finding  her  determined.  "  You 
say  you  have  had  some  experience  in  climbing? 
Perhaps  she'll  let  you  go  a  little  way  up." 

Miss  Brent,  interrogated,  came  and  looked 
Peggy  over  carefully ;  felt  her  muscles,  asked 
her  a  few  questions,  and  then  said,  "  You  may 
have  the  next  turn,  Miss  Montfort." 

The  girl  on  the  rope  next  her  was  having 
a  sad  time  of  it.  She  swung  this  way  and 
that  5  her  legs  waved  wildly  in  the  air,  and 


UP    THKY    \VKNT.     HAM)    OVKK     HAM) 


IN  THE  "GYM."  69 

at  length  she  came  down  "all  abroad/'  hav 
ing  only  ascended  a  few  feet.  At  the  same 
moment,  the  girl  on  the  next  rope  dropped, 
so  that  two  were  left  unoccupied.  Peggy 
advanced  and  laid  her  hand  upon  one  rope, 
just  as  Vivia  Varnham  took  possession  of  the 
other.  On  the  third,  the  pensive  girl  with 
the  Madonna  braids  was  swinging  easily,  half 
way  up  to  the  ceiling;  she  twisted  her  feet 
around  the  rope,  and,  so  resting,  observed. the 
progress  of  the  other  two. 

Up  they  went,  hand  over  hand.  Vivia 
Varnham  gave  a  glance  of  disdain  when  she 
saw  who  her  rival  was.  She  was  light  and 
agile,  and  did  not  for  an  instant  think  that 
this  heavy,  clumsy  creature  could  make  any 
headway  against  her.  She  went  up  lightly  and 
easily,  but  somehow  the  heavy,  clumsy  creature 
managed  to  keep  abreast  of  her;  was  even 
gaining  upon  her,  drawing  up,  up,  above  her 
head.  Vivia  put  on  a  spurt,  and  passed 
Peggy,  climbing  very  swiftly  —  for  a  moment ; 
then  the  ache  in  her  wrists  compelled  her  to 
slacken  her  rate  of  speed,  and  the  thickset 
figure  came  up,  up,  steadily  and  surely.  Truth 


70  PEGGY. 

to  tell,  though  Peggy  Montfort  was  awkward, 
she  was  as  strong  as  a  steer.  Her  weight 
was  not  fat,  but  sheer  bone  and  brawn ;  and 
her  one  hundred  and  forty  pounds  were  easy 
enough  for  her  to  carry,  even  up  a  rope  thirty 
feet  long.  But  Yivia  Yarnham,  with  all  her 
lightness  and  quickness,  had  little  strength  in 
her  wrists.  They  ached  painfully,  but  she 
would  not  give  up.  Her  face  flushed,  her 
breath  came  in  distressful  gasps,  she  strug 
gled  on  and  up.  They  were  more  than  half 
way  up ;  they  had  passed  the  quiet  observer, 
swinging  comfortably  with  her  feet  twisted  in 
her  rope.  "  Better  go  down,  Y.  !"said  the  girl 
with  the  sad  eyes.  "  She's  too  many  for  you! " 

Yivia  shook  her  head  with  an  angry  ges 
ture.  Her  eyes  swam,  the  pain  in  her  wrists 
was  unendurable ;  but  she  set  her  teeth,  and 
struggled  on,  till  from  below  came  the  voice 
of  Miss  Brent,  calm  and  authoritative. 

"  Come  down,  Miss  Varnham  !  You  have 
gone  far  enough. " 

Most  unwillingly,  with  sullen  face  and  flut 
tering  breath,  Yivia  slid  to  the  floor.  She 
expected,  everybody  expected,  to  hear  the 


IN  THE  "GYM."  71 

order  repeated  for  the  benefit  of  the  new 
comer,  the  audacious  freshman  who  had  ven 
tured  upon  junior  ground ;  for  the  rope- 
climbing  was  not  generally  attempted  till  the 
third  year.  But  Miss  Brent  kept  her  eyes  on 
Peggy,  and  smiled,  and  made  no  sign. 

Peggy  was  enjoying  herself  immensely. 
She  was  not  a  swift  climber,  but  there  was  no 
tiring  her,  and  this,  as  she  said  to  herself, 
was  "  great !  "  She  wished  Margaret  could 
see  her !  No  !  It  would  frighten  dear  Mar 
garet.  Rita,  then  !  Rita  loved  feats  of  skill ; 
probably  she  could  climb  far  better  than  she, 
Peggy,  could ;  Rita  was  so  light,  so  graceful, 
so  fearless. 

A  shout  rang  from  below.  Something 
passed  her  on  the  next  rope,  light  and  swift 
as  a  bird  in  flight.  She  could  almost  touch 
the  ceiling  now  ;  she  looked  up  ;  there,  at  the 
very  top  of  the  next  rope,  was  her  friend  of 
the  dressing-room,  gazing  at  her  with  melan 
choly  blue  eyes,  and  holding  out  a  slender 
hand. 

"  Shake  !  "  said  the  girl  with  the  Madonna 
braids. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT. 

PEGGY  was  sitting  alone  in  her  room  that 
evening,  studying,  when  there  rose  a  hubbub 
outside  her  window ;  wheels,  and  the  tramp 
ling  of  horses,  and  girls'  voices.  She  ran  to 
the  window  and  looked  out ;  there  was  a 
great  hay-rigging,  drawn  by  four  stout  horses, 
and  comfortably  lined  with  straw.  Girls 
were  climbing  into  it  on  every  side,  and  more 
and  more  came  pouring  out  of  the  house. 
It  \vas  full  moon,  and  their  faces  shone  so 
clear  and  merry  in  the  light,  that  Peggy 
could  not  help  feeling  a  pang,  not  of  envy, 
but  of  longing.  Of  course  there  had  been  no 
question  of  her  going ;  it  was  a  junior  affair ; 
but  they  all  looked  so  happy  and  jolly,  and  it 
was  so  lonely  here !  As  she  stood  longing, 
Viola  Vincent  popped  her  pretty  head  in  to 
say  good-bye. 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  73 

"Thought  you  might  like  to  see  my 
toque !  "  she  said,  fluttering  in  the  doorway. 
"  It's  the  first  time  I  have  had  it  on.  Isn't  it 
dandy  ?  Isn't  it  perfectly  sweet  ?  " 

Peggy  thought  it  charming,  and  said  so ; 
she  was  rapidly  losing  her  heart  to  her  pretty 
butterfly  neighbour. 

"  I  thought  you'd  like  to  see  it ! "  said 
Viola,  naively.  "  It  makes  it  easier  to  study, 
if  you  see  something  pretty.  Ta,  dear !  I 
wish  you  were  going.  We  shall  have  a  dandy 
time,  simply  dandy  !  " 

She  fluttered  out,  and  left  the  door  ajar 
behind  her,  so  that  Peggy  could  not  help  hear 
ing  the  half-whispered  colloquy  that  ensued 
in  the  corridor. 

"  Went  to  say  good-bye  to  the  Veezy  Yee. 
Why  shouldn't  I  ?" 

"Why  should  you?  You'll  have  her 
around  your  neck  if  you  don't  take  care, 
like  a  lump,  as  she  is." 

"Hush,  V.!  you're  quite  vinegar,  aren't 
you?  Why?  She's  perfectly  harmless,  and 
I  find  her  quaint.  You  know  I  adore  quaint- 
ness  ! " 


74  PEGGY. 

"  Oh,  come  along,  and  don't  talk  flum 
mery  to  me  ;  you  know  I  can't  stand  it." 

The  two  passed  on,  and  Peggy's  ears 
burned  uncomfortably.  Evidently  Vivia  Yarn- 
ham  had  taken  a  violent  dislike  to  her ;  well, 
she  certainly  returned  it.  And  of  course 
that  would  prevent  her  from  ever  seeing 
much  of  the  other,  sweet  pretty  thing.  Well, 
of  course  she  should  have  to  be  alone  most 
of  the  time.  She  went  to  the  window  again, 
and  saw  the  two  V's  climbing  in ;  then  there 
was  a  great  shouting  and  waving  of  handker 
chiefs,  and  they  drove  away.  Peggy  sighed, 
and  sat  down  once  more  to  her  task.  It  was 
rhetoric,  and  her  whole  nature  cried  out 
against  it ;  but  the  study  was  prescribed,  and 
the  teacher,  Miss  Pugsley,  was  reported  to  be 
very  strict.  Peggy  put  her  elbows  on  the 
table,  and  her  head  on  her  hands,  and  bent 
in  good  earnest  over  the  book. 

" '  Both  prepositions  and  conjunctions  are 
called  connectives.' 

"  Oh,  dear  !  then  why  can't  we  call  them 
connectives,  and  have  one  word  to  remember, 
instead  of  three  ? 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  75 

"'When  I  say  the  hen  barks'  —  why, 
that  makes  nonsense!  Oh,  I  got  two  lines 
mixed  up.  '  When  I  say  the  dog  barks,  I 
speak  of  some  particular  dog.'  Well,  any 
body  can  see  that.  Oh,  I  do  wonder  if  Flora 
will  remember  to  wash  Peter's  ear,  where  he 
had  the  canker !  It  was  almost  well,  but  still 
it  will  need  washing.  Dear  Peter  !  dear  dogs  ! 
they  will  miss  me,  I  know  they  will.  If  one 
could  only  have  a  dog  here,  it  wouldn't  be 
half  so  bad.  I  could  have  a  basket  for  him 
to  sleep  in,  you  know,  and  then  in  the  morn 
ing  he  would  get  up  on  the  bed,  and  we'd 
have  a  beautiful  time.  There's  a  dog  barking 
now  !  He  wants  to  be  let  in,  poor  dear !  How 
perfectly  idiotic  some  people  are,  not  to  know 
what  a  dog  wants.  I  remember  that  stupid 
man  at  home  beating  poor  Peter,  —  beating 
him  with  a  hoe,  when  all  the  time  Peter  was 
telling  him  that  a  tramp  was  stealing  the 
melons.  Yes ;  but  when  Petie  saw  that  the 
man  was  an  idiot,  he  went  and  attended  to 
the  tramp  himself,  and  you  never  saw  a 
tramp  so  scared  in  your  life.  Oh,  dear ! 
well  I 


76 


PEGGY. 


"  '  He  was  in  the  room,  and  went  out  of  it.'  I 
wish  I  could  go  out  of  this  room ;  but  I  don't 
know  where  I  should  go  to.  Bertha  went,  of 
course,  with  the  others.  If  it  wasn't  for 
Bertha,  I  really  don't  think  I  could  possibly 
stay  here." 

A  knock  at  the  door ;  and  Bertha's  square, 
cheerful  face  looked  in.  "Any  chance  to 
study  here?  there's  something  the  matter 
with  my  lamp,  why,  —  Peggy!" 

For  Peggy  had  jumped  up  and  thrown  her 
arms  around  her  friend's  neck,  and  given 
her  a  hug  which  took  her  breath. 

"  Oh,  you  dear  !  "  cried  Peggy.  «  I  never 
was  so  glad  to  see  anybody  in  my  life.  Here, 
take  this  chair,  Bertha.  Oh,  it  was  just 
lovely  of  you  to  come  in.  You  knew  I  would 
be  forlorn,  I  know  that  was  why  you  came. 
But  why  didn't  you  go  on  the  straw-ride? 
I  supposed  of  course  you  had  gone." 

"  One  question  at  a  time,"  pleaded  Bertha  ; 
"  and  I  can't  answer  any  if  you  destroy  my 
breathing  apparatus,  Hippolyta." 
"Why  Hippolyta?" 
"  Oh  •  she  was  Queen  of  the  Amazons,  don't 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  77 

you  know  ?  Only  because  you  are  so  strong, 
my  dear." 

"  No/'  said  Peggy,  dolefully.  "  I  never 
heard  of  her.  Margaret  would  know,  but  I 
am  awfully  stupid,  I  told  you  I  was.  Do  you 
have  rhetoric,  Bertha  ?  " 

"  Not  this  year.  I  had  it  the  first  two 
years.  It's  not  so  bad ;  in  fact,  I  was  rather 
fond  of  it." 

Peggy  gazed  at  her  in  such  unfeigned 
amazement  that  Bertha  could  not  help  laugh 
ing;  but  there  was  never  any  sneer  in 
Bertha's  laugh.  "  Come  !  "  she  said.  "  Now 
we'll  sit  down  and  study  our  prettiest.  See  ! 
I  have  a  lot  of  Greek  to  do.  Peggy,  don't 
look  like  that  !  What  is  the  matter  ?  " 

Peggy  had  recoiled  in  horror,  her  blue  eyes 
opened  to  their  widest  extent. 

"  Greek!"  she  cried.  "You  don't  — I 
sha'n't  have  to  take  Greek,  shall  I  ?  because 
I  would  rather  die,  and  I  should  die  !  " 

"  Nonsense  !  no,  I  don't  know  that  you  will 
have  to  take  it  at  all.  What  course  have  you 
taken,  —  scientific?  Oh,  no,  you  don't  have 
Greek  in  that.  What  have  you  had  to-day  ?  " 


78  >  PEGGY. 

"  Geometry  !   Of  course  that  was  splendid." 

"  Oh,  indeed  !  was  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes  ;  I  just  love  geometry.  I  could 
do  it  all  day,  but  we  only  have  it  one  hour." 
And  Peggy  looked  injured. 

"  Well,"  said  Bertha,  "  you  are  a  queer  girl, 
Peggy  Montfort.  But  there'll  be  one  happy 
person  in  this  school,  and  that  is  Miss  Boyle." 

"  I  don't  understand  you  !  Don't  most  girls, 
—  don't  you  like  geometry,  Bertha  ?  " 

"  My  dear,  I  regard  everything  in  the  shape 
of  mathematics  with  terror  and  disgust.  I 
don't  know  any  geometry,  nor  any  algebra. 
I've  been  through  them  both,  and  the  more 
I  learned,  the  more  I  didn't  know.  As  to 
arithmetic,  I  know  that  four  quarts  make  a 
gallon,  and  that  really  is  all  my  mind  is  equal 
to.  But  if  you  won't  let  me  study  my  Greek, 
Peggy,  I  shall  go  home  again  to  the  Nest." 

"  Oh,  I  do  !  I  will  !  "  cried  poor  Peggy  ; 
and  there  was  silence  for  a  time,  both  girls 
studying  in  earnest,  the  silence  only  broken 
by  the  turning  of  a  page,  or  a  heartfelt  sigh 
from  Peggy  as  she  dealt  with  parts  of  speech. 

So  thoroughly  were  they  absorbed  in  their 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  79 

task  that  they  did  not  hear  sundry  noises 
outside  the  window.  The  window  was  open, 
for  the  night  was  warm  as  well  as  bright ; 
indeed,  the  upper  half  of  it  was  pushed  en 
tirely  down,  so  that  it  was  like  a  double  half- 
door  of  glass.  Outside  this  window  was  the 
black  skeleton  of  the  fire-escape  ;  and  if  the 
two  girls  had  been  on  the  alert,  they  might 
have  heard  various  unobtrusive  sounds  from 
this  direction.  As  it  was,  they  both  started 
violently  when  a  clear  voice  addressed  them 
in  quiet  and  thoughtful  tones. 

"  Peace  to  this  dwelling !  "  said  the  voice. 

Peggy  looked  up  hastily.  There,  leaning 
on  the  window-sash,  as  calm  and  composed  as 
she  had  been  at  the  top  of  the  rope,  was  the 
stranger  with  the  melancholy  eyes  and  the 
Madonna  braids. 

"Peace!"  she  repeated.  "Piece  of  pie! 
have  some  !  "  She  held  out  a  large  segment 
of  pie,  and  added,  "Any  admittance  for  the 
Goat?" 

Peggy  was  still  too  startled  to  find  breath 
to  answer,  but  Bertha  sprang  up,  crying, 
"  Grace  !  how  could  you  frighten  us  so  ?  " 


80  PEGGY. 

"  Not  Grace  ! "  said  the  stranger,  with  an 
unmoved  countenance.  "  Goat !  let  us  not 
deceive  the  Innocent !  A  scapegrace  is  one 
thing,  a  scapegoat  is  another,  and  from  some 
points  a  preferable  one.  But  the  Innocent  is 
abroad,  I  perceive.  Innocent,  I  am  the  Scape 
goat.  Is  there  admittance  ?" 

"  Oh  !  "  gasped  Peggy,  blushing  and  falter 
ing.  "  Oh,  please  come  in  !  I  —  I  didn't  know 
you  were  waiting  for  me  to  —  Sha'n't  I  open 

it  from  the  bottom  ?  " 

•f 

"  If  you  will  take  the  pie,"  said  the  stranger, 
gravely  ;  "  thank  you  ;  that  is  your  piece,  this 
is  mine,  —  already  bitten,  or  I  would  offer  it  to 
the  Fluffy." 

Relieved  of  two  large  pieces  of  pie,  she  laid 
one  hand  on  the  sash,  and  vaulted  lightly 
over ;  then  she  shook  hands  solemnly  with 
Peggy,  took  her  own  piece  of  pie,  and,  seating 
herself  on  the  floor,  proceeded  to  eat  it  daintily. 

"  It  is  a  good  pie  !  "  she  said.  "  If  not 
afraid  of  pollution,  Fluffy,  a  bite  ?  " 

Bertha  was  looking  half  amused,  half  angry. 
"  Grace,  how  can  you  act  so  ?  "  she  said. 

"  How  ?  "  said  Grace.     "  My  sweet  child,  it 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  81 

is  as  easy  as  breathing.  I  will  give  instruc 
tion  at  any  time,  without  charge." 

"  I  thought  you  were  doing  double  les 
sons,"  Bertha  went  on,  "and  being  as  good 
as  gold.  Grace,  you  can  be  so  good  !  " 

"  Can't  I !  "  said  Grace ;  her  tone  was  one 
of  admiring  gravity ;  her  blue  eyes  kept  their 
look  of  pensive  sadness. 

"  And  it's  a  thing  I  admire,  goodness  !  "  she 
went  on,  shaking  her  head.  "  That's  why  I 
practise  it.  Double  lessons  ?  I'll  warrant  you  ! 
this  is  the  second  time  I  have  been  down  here 
to-night,  for  example  ;  other  things  in  propor 
tion."  She  waved  her  hand,  and  fell  to  again 
at  her  pie. 

Peggy  had  been  sitting  open-eyed,  watching 
this  singular  person,  not  knowing  what  to 
say.  Now,  however,  meeting  the  solemn 
gaze  of  the  large  sad  eyes,  she  felt  compelled 
to  speech. 

"  It  —  it's  delicious  !  "  she  said,  timidly. 
"  Wouldn't  you  rather  sit  in  a  chair,  Miss  —  " 
she  hesitated,  not  liking  to  say  "  Grace." 

"  Oh,  dear ! "  said  Bertha,  still  put  out. 
^  You  make  me  forget  my  manners  and 


82 


PEGGY. 


everything,  Grace.     Peggy,  this  is  Miss  Grace 
Wolfe  ;  Grace,  Miss  Peggy  Montfort." 

"  Charmed  !  "  said  Miss  Wolfe.  "  But  we 
have  met  before,  Fluffy,  or  I  should  not  have 
descended. 

"  We  met,  'twas  on  a  rope, 

And  I  thought  she  had  done  me ; 
I  felt,  I  could  not  feel, 

For  my  fate  was  upon  me. 

"If  it  hadn't  been  for  your  possession 
of  peas,  you  would  have  beaten  me,  Miss 
Montfort.  As  it  was,  here's  to  our  next 
meeting  under  the  ceiling !  "  She  took  a  large 
bite  of  pie,  and  regarded  Peggy  benevolently. 

"  Of  peas?"  repeated  Peggy,  vaguely,  feeling 
that  this  might  be  English,  but  was  not  sense. 

"Precisely.  Avoir  du  pois,  literally,  to 
possess  a  pea  !  The  French  language.  But 
you  should  have  seen  Vexation  !  "  this  strange 
person  added,  turning  to  Bertha.  "Did  see 
her  ?  Well,  she  was  a  pleasant  sight.  Noxious 
animal,  Vexation !  it  is  a  joy  to  see  her  taken 
down  occasionally." 

"I  notice  you  are  good  friends  enough, 
where  any  mischief  is  afoot !  "  said  Bertha, 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  83 

bluntly.  She  broke  a  corner  off  the  pie,  and 
added,  "  Goat,  this  is  mince  pie  !  " 

"  It  is  !  it  is  !  "  said  Miss  Wolfe.  "  Ever 
discriminating,  my  own !  and  good  ?  say  it  is 
good,  Fluffy !  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  uncommonly  good  ! "  said 
Bertha.  "  Where  did  you  get  it  ?  You've  no 
business  to  have  it,  of  course  !  " 

"  I  got  it  out  of  a  bandbox,  sweet  one !  " 
replied  Grace  Wolfe.  "  It  lives  —  they  live, 
I  should  say,  for  there  are  three  of  them, 
thanks  be  to  praise !  —  in  a  bandbox.  A 
round  one,  or,  to  be  more  exact,  oval  in  form, 
covered  with  wall-paper,  whereon  purple 
scrolls  dispute  the  mastery  with  pink  loz 
enges.  It's  the  sweetest  thing  in  bandboxes 
that  I've  seen  since  time  was." 

"  Yes,  but  the  pies  !  " 

"  The  pies !  as  I  was  saying,  three  of  them ; 
ample,  full  moons  of  rapture  ! 

"  They  came  in  beauty,  side  by  side, 
They  filled  one  home  with  glee. 
Their  bones  are  scattered  —  " 

She  paused  with  an  expressive  gesture. 


84  PEGGY. 

"  The  best  of  it  is,  —  you  will  admit  that 
this  is  neat,  Fluffy,  even  if  your  slavery  to 
the  virtues  compels  your  disapproval,  —  the 
best  of  it  is,  the  bandbox  is  the  property  of 

our  Puggy." 

"Miss  Pugsley's   bandbox!     Oh,  Grace!" 
"  Precisely !     Our  Puggy  goes  heavily  with 
out  it,  I  am  told.     What  would  you  ?     It  was 
outside  her  door,  while  sweeping  was  going 
on;    one  is  human,  after  all.     She  was  out, 
with  the  best  bonnet  on  her  head.     Poor  head  ! 
Poor  bonnet !     My  hearty  commiseration  for 
both !  When  she  returned,  no  bandbox  !     At 
present  she  harries  the  domestics ;  she  hasn't 
thought  of  me  yet,  for  a  wonder.     To-mor 
row,  or  the  day  after,  I  shall  finish  the  pies 
—  alas !     Then  I  return  the   repository,  and 
her  bonnet  acquires  a  fine,  full,  fruity  flavour 
that  annihilation  alone  can  remove. 

« You  may  break,  you  may  shatter 

The  tile  if  you  will, 
But  the  scent  of  the  brandy 
Will  cling  round  it  still." 

"  Grace  !     What  a  diabolical  plot !  and  you 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  85 

have  been  lying  awake,  I  suppose,  chuckling 
over  this  !  " 

Miss  Wolfe  waved  her  hand  in  deprecation. 
"  Not  lying  awake,  sweet  one  !  Too  slight  a 
thing  for  that;  still,  it  served  to  amuse. 
One  must  live,  even  you  will  admit  that. 
What's  this?  Greek?  Give  it  me!"  She 
stretched  out  her  hand  for  the  book,  but 
Bertha  held  it  fast. 

"No!  no,  Goat;  I  want  it  myself,  and 
besides,  you  have  no  business  here,  you  know 
you  haven't." 

"  No  ;  and  you  ?  "  replied  the  other, 
coolly. 

"I  have  permission;  my  lamp  is  out  of 
order,  and  I  asked  Miss  Russell  if  I  might 
study  in  here."  said  Bertha.  "  But  you  will 
get  into  trouble  if  you  stay,  Grace,  you  know 
you  will.  Be  good  now,  and  go  home  !  " 

Grace  Wolfe  gazed  pensively  at  her. 

"You  would  check  the  interchange  of 
souls?"  she  said.  "I  feel  drawn  to  this 
Innocent,  Fluff  !  I  feel  that  she  may  have  an 
influence  over  me  for  good.  You  would  not 
part  us  ?  Could'st  love  a  Goat,  Innocent  ?  " 


86  PEGGY. 

she  added,  turning  to  Peggy,  and  fixing  her 
eyes  on  her  with  mournful  intensity. 

Peggy  blushed,  but  before  she  could  reply 
Bertha  struck  in  decidedly. 

"  Grace,  just  one  word  !  Peggy  Montfort  is 
a  stranger,  and  I  am  not  going  to  let  her  get 
into  trouble  if  I  can  help  it.  And  I  don't 
want  you  to  get  into  trouble,  either  ! "  she 
added,  more  gently.  "  You  know,  my  dear- 
She  stopped  suddenly,  for  Grace  Wolfe 
threw  up  her  hand  with  a  warning  gesture ; 
then,  with  a  single  swift  movement,  she 
rolled  under  the  bed,  and  was  out  of  sight. 
"Study!"  said  Bertha,  in  a  low  whisper. 
«  Study  hard  !  " 

Wholly  bewildered,  Peggy  fixed  her  eyes 
on  her  book.  She  had  heard  no  sound  before, 
but  now  came  a  footfall  in  the  corridor.  A 
knock  at  the  door,  and  Miss  Russell  opened 
it  and  looked  in. 

"  Your  lamp  is  in  order  now,  Bertha,"  she 
said.  "  I  thought  I  would  tell  you,  as  I  was 
going  by ;  but  you  can  stay  a  little  longer,  if 
you  like.  How  charming  you  have  made 
your  room,  Miss  Montfort." 


ENTER    THE    SCAPEGOAT.  87 

"  Won't  —  won't  you  come  in,  Miss  Rus 
sell?"  stammered  poor  Peggy,  conscious  of 
Grace  Wolfe's  eyes  under  the  bed,  yet  feeling 
that  civility  admitted  of  only  one  answer. 

"  Not  now,  thank  you !  Some  day  soon 
I  shall  come  and  make  you  a  little  visit, 
though,  with  pleasure.  Good  night,  young 
ladies !  " 

She  nodded  kindly,  closed  the  door,  and 
passed  on. 

The  girls  drew  breath.  A  moment,  and 
Grace  Wolfe  rolled  out  again,  rose,  and  shook 
her  neat  dress. 

"  So  much  for  Buckingham !  "  she  said. 
"  The  good  point  about  Principie  is,  she  is 
respectable.  Now,  my  Puggy  would  have 
looked  through  the  keyhole  first.  But  I  fore 
see  a  visit  to  my  own  humble  cot,  to  see 
whether  I  have  learned  my  lessons. 

"  Oh  !     Farewell,  friends  ! 
Here  Thisbe  ends!" 

She  waved  her  hand,  vaulted  once  more 
over  the  window,  and  was  gone.  An  occa 
sional  faint,  cat-like  sound  told  of  her  prog- 


PEGGY. 


ress  up  the  fire-escape ;  then  a  window 
creaked  slightly  overhead,  and  all  was  silent. 

Bertha  Haughton  ruffled  up  her  curly  black 
locks  with  a  gesture  of  exasperation. 

"And  the  worst  of  it  is,"  she  said,  "that 
girl  will  know  her  Greek  better  than  any  one 
in  class.  That's  half  the  trouble  ;  she  learns 
so  quickly,  her  lessons  don't  take  half  her 
time,  and  she  puts  the  rest  into  mischief." 

"  She  seems  awfully  clever !  "  said  Peggy, 

timidly. 

Bertha  nodded.  "She  is  just  that,  my 
dear;  awfully  clever!  I'll  tell  you  more 
about  her  to-morrow,  but  now  we  must  study 
hard,  for  we've  only  twenty  minutes  left. 
Only,  my  dear,  when  you  think  of  the  Goat, 
remember  three  things:  she  is  D.  D.  D., — 
dear,  delightful,  —  and  dangerous  !  " 


CHAPTER   V. 

TO    THE    RESCUE. 

THE  next  morning  proved  a  hard  one  for 
Peggy ;  the  rhetoric  lesson  was  the  first  that 
must  be  recited.  She  had  studied  it  hard, 
but  somehow  the  rules  seemed  to  make  little 
impression.  Whenever  she  tried  to  fix  them 
in  her  mind,  there  came  between  her  and  the 
page  two  melancholy  blue  eyes,  and  she 
seemed  to  hear  a  voice  of  singular  quality, 
a  voice  with  a  thrill  in  it,  saying,  "Could'st 
love  a  Goat,  Innocent  ?  " 

So  she  was  not  as  well  prepared  as  she 
should  have  been  when  she  went  into  the 
class ;  and  on  meeting  Miss  Pugsley's  cold 
greenish  brown  eye,  what  she  did  know 
seemed  to  evaporate  from  the  top  of  her 
head,  leaving  a  total  blank.  She  stumbled 
and  floundered ;  she  did  not  know  what  an 


90  PEGGY. 

antecedent  was,  and  she  could  not  remember 
ever  to  have  heard  of    a  reciprocal  pronoun. 

"  Pray,  Miss  Montfort,  were  you  asleep  or 
awake  when  you  studied  this  lesson?"  in 
quired  Miss  Pugsley,  with  acrid  calm. 

"  I  don't  know  !  "  replied  Peggy,  now  thor 
oughly  bewildered. 

"  Well,  if  you  were  asleep,  let  me  recom 
mend  you  to  try  it  again  when  you  wake  up ; 
or  if  you  were  awake,  perhaps  you  might  do 
it  better  in  your  sleep." 

Peggy  flushed  scarlet,  and  the  ready  tears 
sprang  into  her  eyes  ;  but  she  forced  them 
back,  bit  her  lip,  and  tried  not  to  feel  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  class  bent  on  her  in  amused 
astonishment.  Miss  Pugsley  seemed  to  take 
positive  pleasure  in  her  ignorance  and  embar 
rassment.  She  put  one  question  after  another, 
each  more  ingeniously  contrived  than  the 
last  —  or  so  it  seemed  —  to  show  what  Peggy 
did  not  know.  At  last,  in  self-defence,  the 
poor  child  took  refuge  in  one  simple  and  inva 
riable  answer :  "I  don't  know ! "  So  con 
fused  was  she  that  these  werds  were  the  only 
ones  she  could  utter,  even  when  she  knew 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  91 

the  correct  answer,  or  would  have  done  so  if 
she  could  have  collected  her  wits.  By  the 
end  of  the  hour,  Peggy  was  entirely  con 
vinced  that  she  was  the  dunce  and  butt  of 
the  school ;  that  she  knew  nothing,  and  never 
would  know  anything. 

It  seemed  a  cruel  stroke  of  fate  that  this 
terrible  period  should  be  followed  by  that  of 
general  history,  for  Peggy  detested  history, 
as  some  of  my  readers  already  know.  She 
went  into  the  next  class-room  with  an  aching 
head,  and  a  heart  throbbing  with  a  sense  of 
utter  worthlessness  in  herself,  and  of  bitter 
cruelty  in  others.  She  did  not  even  look  up  at 
the  teacher,  but  kept  her  eyes  fixed  on  her 
desk,  and  answered  the  few  questions  that 
meant  anything  to  her,  sullenly  and  unwill 
ingly.  She  did  try  at  first  to  follow  the 
lesson,  but  her  head  ached  so,  the  words 
seemed  to  sing  themselves  into  mere  non 
sense,  and  she  soon  gave  up  the  attempt ;  the 
more  so  as  this  teacher,  who  had  been  ob 
serving  her  pretty  closely,  for  some  reason  or 
other  asked  her  very  few  questions.  At  last, 
however,  the  blow  fell. 


92  PEGGY. 

"  Where  did  Philip  of  Macedon  come  from, 
Miss  Montfort?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Peggy. 

"  Oh,  I  think  you  do,"  said  Miss  Cortlandt, 
with  a  pleasant  smile,  and  checking,  with  a 
warning  glance,  the  rising  giggle. 

"  Try  again,  Miss  Montfort.  Philip  the 
Great,  Philip  of  Macedon,  —  where  did  he 
come  from  ?  Surely  you  can  tell  me  !  " 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Peggy,  doggedly; 
and  at  the  moment  she  actually  did  not. 

"  My  dear  child,"  said  the  teacher,  "  did  you 
ever  hear  what  was  the  colour  of  Washington's 
gray  mare  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am,"  said  Peggy. 

"•Well,  what  was  it?" 

"I  don't  know." 

Emily  Cortlandt  had  graduated  from  college 
the  year  before.  She  laid  down  her  pencil, 
and  looked  very  kindly  at  the  distracted 
girl. 

"  I  think  you  are  not  feeling  well,  Miss 
Montfort,"  she  said.  "  Does  your  head  ache  ?  " 

"  Yes,  ma'am,"  said  Peggy.  She  could  not 
have  said  another  word ;  her  whole  strength 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  93 

was  needed  to  keep  back  the  flood  of  tears 
that  was  rising,  rising. 

"  You  need  not  stay  through  the  lesson," 
Miss  Cortlandt  went  on,  and  the  sympathy  in 
her  voice  only  brought  the  flood  higher  and 
nearer. 

"  You  can  make  up  the  lesson  to  me  some 
other  time.  Now,  you  would  better  go  and  lie 
down  for  a  little,  and  then  take  a  turn  in  the 
fresh  air.  Miss  Bangs,  what  was  the  date  of 
Philip's  first  invasion?" 

Peggy  never  knew  how  she  got  out  of  the 
class-room.  She  longed  to  give  at  least  a 
grateful  look  at  the  kind  soul  who  had  saved 
her,  but  her  eyes  were  already  swimming  in 
tears.  She  fled  along  the  corridor,  sobbing 
hysterically,  blinded  with  tears,  conscious  of 
only  one  thing,  the  desperate  resolve  to  get 
to  her  room,  before  she  broke  down  altogether. 
Flying  thus  around  a  corner,  she  rushed  head 
long  into  a  group  of  girls  who  were  gathered 
around  something,  she  could  not  tell  what. 
So  violent  was  the  shock  that  Pe^y  reeled 

OOt7 

and  struck  her  head  sharply  against  the  wall. 
This  brought  her  to  herself.  She  caught  back 


94  PEGGY. 

the  sob  on  her  lips,  and  dashed  the  tears 
from  her  eyes  before  any  one  saw  them, — 
or  so  she  hoped ;  then  she  looked  to  see  what 
was  going  on.  Next  moment  she  had  for 
gotten  that  there  were  such  things  as  tears 
in  the  world. 

There  were  six  or  eight  girls  in  the  group, 
mostly  sophomores,  though  a  few  were  fresh 
men.  They  were  looking  down  at  something 
—  somebody  —  crouching  on  the  floor  against 
the  wall,  and  their  laughter,  checked  for  an 
instant  by  Peggy's  onset,  broke  out  afresh. 
"  Here's  Peggy  Montfort,  just  in  time  to  see 
the  fun.  Look,  Miss  Montfort,  and  see  the 
fashions  !  Straight  from  Paris,  and  the  very 
last  thing !  " 

The  speaker  was  Blanche  Haight,  a  tall 
sophomore  with  bleached  hair,  and  eyes  set 
too  near  together.  She  was  considered  a  wit, 
and  every  time  she  spoke  the  other  girls 
giggled  and  screamed. 

The  person  crouching  on  the  floor  was 
Lobelia  Parkins.  Her  head  was  pressed 
against  the  wall,  her  face  hidden  in  her 
hands ;  misery  and  terror  were  in  every  line 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  95 

of  her  poor  little  shrinking  figure,  but  this 
only  gave  added  delight  to  her  tormentors. 

"  Look,  ladies,  at  the  new  sleeve !  "  cried 
Miss  Haight,  lifting  the  skinny  arm,  from 
which  the  blue  poplin  sleeve  hung  in  an 
awkward  fashion.  "  Did  you  ever  see  any 
thing  so  exquisite  ?  Look  at  the  fringe,  will 
you,  and  the  pattern  ?  I'm  going  to  get  Miss 
Russell  to  put  her  up  on  exhibition,  so  the 
whole  school  can  have  the  benefit ;  it's  a 
shame  to  keep  it  to  ourselves !  " 

"  He !  he !  he ! "  went  all  the  girls.  "  Blanche, 
you  are  too  funny  for  anything !  " 

"Where  did  your  mother  get  it?"  asked 
another  ;  and  this,  as  Peggy  saw  with  a  shock, 
was  pretty  Rose  Barclay.  "  Did  the  ragman 
bring  it  around,  or  did  she  pick  it  up  in  the 
gutter  ?  Say,  Miss  Parkins,  I  wish  you'd  tell 
us,  'cause  we  all  want  to  know." 

"  Yes,  of  course  we  want  to  know  !  "  cried 
Miss  Haight.  "  I'm  going  to  write  this  very 
night,  to  see  if  Mumma  can't  get  me  one  like 
it.  I  never  shall  be  happy  till  I  —  " 

That  sentence  never  was  finished.  The 
speaker  found  her  own  arm  seized  in  a  grip 


96  PEGGY. 

of  iron,  which  forced  her  to  drop  the  poor 
little  arm  in  the  blue  sleeve.  She  was  forced 
back  against  the  wall,  and  found  herself 
confronted  by  a  pair  of  blue  eyes  blazing  with 
righteous  wrath. 

"  How  dare  you  ?  "  cried  Peggy  Montfort, 
in  a  voice  that  quivered  with  rage.  "  You 
mean,  cowardly  brute,  how  dare  you  ?  Touch 
her  again,  and  I'll  choke  the  words  down  your 
throat!" 

Blanche  Haight  gasped  for  a  moment ;  in 
deed,  the  whole  group  was  cowed  by  this 
sudden  vision  of  strength  and  fury.  But  she 
recovered  herself  in  a  moment. 

"  Well,  indeed  !  "  she  said.  "  I  should  like 
to  know  what  this  means,  Miss  Montfort  ?  I 
should  like  to  know  who  gave  you  authority 
to  choke  people,  and  abuse  them,  and  call 
them  names  ?  " 

"  You'll  find  out  what  it  means ! "  said 
Peggy,  waiving  the  second  question,  and  re 
plying  to  the  first.  "  If  you  touch  that  child 

again,  or  so  much  as  speak  to  her,  I'll  choke 

>  ? 
you. 

"  Girls,  do  you  hear  this  ?  "  cried  Blanche 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  97 

Haight.  "  Are  you  going  to  stand  by,  and 
let  this  girl  ride  over  us?" 

"  Shame  !  "  cried  the  girls.     "  Bully !  " 

"  Bully !  "  cried  Peggy,  dropping  her  hold 
of  Miss  Haight,  and  turning  to  face  the  others. 
"  You  call  me  a  bully,  and  you  yourselves, 
eight  great  grown  girls,  standing  around  to 
torment  and  torture  this  poor  helpless  child  ? 
Shame  on  you  !  Shame  on  you  all,  every  one  ! 
I'm  ashamed  to  be  in  the  same  school  with 
you.  I  —  "  (Here,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  Peggy 
forgot  that  she  was  a  young  lady,  forgot 
everything  save  that  she  was  the  daughter  of 
hot-blooded  James  Montfort.)  "  I  could  whip 
the  whole  lot  of  you,  and  I'll  do  it  if  you 
dare  to  say  '  Boo  ! '  but  you  don't !  " 

It  was  a  fact  that  no  one  did  say  "  Boo  !  " 
There  was  a  pause,  Peggy  standing  with  folded 
arms  before  the  shrinking  child,  her  whole 
figure  dilated  with  passion,  till  she  seemed 
to  tower  above  the  rest,  who  for  their  part 
cowered  before  her. 

Rose  Barclay  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"We  are  very  fortunate  to  find  a  leader 
for  the  freshman  class,"  she  said,  spitefully, 


98  PEGGY. 

"  and  such  a  leader !  Miss  Montf ort  is  too 
high-toned  to  help  a  classmate  with  her  lesson, 
but  not  too  high-toned  to  talk  like  a  Bowery 
rowdy.  Come,  along,  girls  !  I  for  one  don't 
care  to  listen  to  any  more  such  refined,  elegant 
talk  !  " 

"  Yes,  you'd  better  go  along !  "  said  Peggy, 
the  Valkyr,  briefly. 

"  Pray,  may  I  ask,"  said  Blanche  Haight, 
with  a  bitter  sneer,  "  are  you  monitor  of  this 
corridor  ?  " 

"No,"  said  a  voice  behind  her;  "but  I  am." 

A  girl  had  come  quietly  up  the  stairs,  and 
was  now  standing  close  beside  the  excited 
group,  none  of  whom  had  seen  or  heard  her, 
—  a  tall  girl,  with  red-gold  hair,  dressed  as  if 
she  had  just  come  from  a  journey. 

"  I  am  the  monitor  of  this  corridor,"  she 
repeated.  "  Please  go  to  your  rooms,  or  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  report  you." 

The  girls  shrunk  together,  whispering,  the 
freshmen  questioning  the  sophomores. 

"Who  is  it?     Who  is  it?" 

"  Hush  !  It's  the  junior  president.  Come 
along ! " 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  99 

The  group  melted  away ;  another  moment, 
and  all  were  gone  save  Peggy,  who  was  now 
on  the  floor,  with  her  arms  around  the  little 
miserable  creature,  who  still  shrank  close 
against  the  wall,  as  if  her  life  depended 
on  the  contact. 

"  There,  dear  !  "  she  cried.  "  They  are 
gone.  Come !  Don't  huddle  up  so,  you  poor 
little  thing.  Those  brutes  are  gone,  and 
there's  nobody  here  but  me,  Peggy,  and  — " 
she  glanced  up  at  the  tall  girl.  "  Oh  !  won't 
you  help  me?"  she  cried.  "I  think  —  she 
doesn't  seem  to  hear  what  I  am  saying.  Oh, 
is  she  dead  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  monitor.  "  I  think  she  has 
fainted,  though,  poor  little  soul !  We  must 
carry  her  to  her  room.  Do  you  know  where 
it  is  ?  I  have  only  just  come  back,  and  don't 
know  where  the  freshmen  are." 

"  No,  I  don't  know,  but  I'll  take  her  to  my 
room;  I'm  in  No.  18.  Oh,  I  can  carry  her 
alone ;  she's  all  skin  and  bone ;  she  doesn't 
weigh  anything." 

The  little  figure  in  the  staring  poplin  gown 
hung  quite  limp,  as  Peggy  lifted  it.  "  You'd 


100  PEGGY. 

better  let  me  help,"  said  the  tall  girl,  kindly. 
"  We  can  make  her  more  comfortable  ;  so  !  " 

Together  they  carried  her  to  Peggy's  room, 
and  laid  her  on  the  bed.  It  was  really  more 
fright  and  distress  than  actual  fainting,  for 
she  soon  opened  her  eyes,  and  looked  eagerly 
at  Peggy,  but  closed  them  again  with  a  faint 
cry,  at  sight  of  the  stranger. 

"You  needn't  be- afraid  of  her!"  cried 
Peggy,  eagerly.  "She  isn't  one  of  them; 
she's  none  of  that  horrid  crowd.  "I  don't 
know  who  you  are,"  she  said,  "  but  I'm  ever 
and  ever  and  ever  so  much  obliged  to  you.  I 
don't  know  whether  you  heard  what  they 
were  saying." 

And  she  poured  out  an  indignant  account 
of  the  cruelty  she  had  witnessed  and  put 
a  stop  to.  The  stranger's  eyes  were  stern 
enough,  as  she  listened.  "  I  heard  only  the 
end  of  it,"  she  said,  briefly,  "  but  where  I  see 
Blanche  Haight,  I  am  never  surprised  at  any 
thing  cruel  or  cowardly.  I  am  very  glad  to 
know  you  ;  it  was  a  mercy  that  you  happened 
to  come  along  just  then.  I  hope  we  shall  be 
friends,  Miss  —  is  it  Miss  Montfort  ?  " 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  101 

"  Oh,  that  I  will !  "  cried  Peggy,  respond 
ing  with  all  her  warm  heart  to  the  sweet 
smile  and  the  lovely  look  in  the  clear  blue 
eyes.  "  Oh,  I  should  like  to  ever  so  much ; 
but  I  don't  know  your  name,  do  I  ? " 

The  stranger  smiled  again.  "  They  call 
me  the  Snowy  Owl,"  she  said,  "  but  my  name 
is  Gertrude  Merry  weather.'' 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    OWL'S    NEST. 

WHEN  Peggy  escorted  Lobelia  Parkins  back 
to  her  room,  she  found  that  it  was  the  one 
directly  above  her  own.  Point  for  point,  the 
rooms  were  alike,  fire-escape  and  all,  —  so  far 
as  the  actual  outlines  were  concerned ;  there, 
however,  the  likeness  ended.  There  had  been 
no  Uncle  John,  no  Margaret,  in  this  case. 
The  room  was  furnished,  evidently,  by  the 
same  hand  that  had  dressed  the  girl,  and  with 
equal  taste.  The  carpet  on  the  floor  was 
costly,  but  hideous  as  staring  colours  and 
execrable  design  could  make  it.  The  furni 
ture  was  cumbrous,  and  the  fact  that  the 
ugly  chairs  were  rosewood,  and  their  cushions 
brocade,  made  them  neither  beautiful  nor 
comfortable.  On  the  bureau  were  some  bottles 
of  red  Bohemian  glass,  such  as  were  thought 

102 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  103 

handsome  fifty  years  ago  ;  an  elephant  of  a 
writing-desk,  staring  with  plush  and  gilding, 
almost  covered  the  table.  Altogether,  the 
room  was  as  desolate  as  its  occupant ;  more 
could  not  be  said.  Lobelia  seemed  smaller 
and  more  shrunken  than  ever  amid  all  this 
tasteless  display ;  she  seemed  conscious  of  it, 
too,  as  she  gazed  piteously  at  Peggy.  She 
had  been  crying,  in  a  furtive,  frightened  way ; 
and,  gazing  at  her,  Peggy  felt  that  it  must  be 
years  ago  that  she  was  crying,  too,  and  hoping 
for  nothing  in  the  world  save  to  get  to  her 
room  and  have  a  good  solid  deluge  of  tears. 
At  present  it  seemed  hardly  likely  that  she 
should  ever  weep  again  ;  she  felt  strong  and 
confident,  and  was  still  burning  with  indigna 
tion,  none  the  less  hotly  that  the  outward 
flame  had  gone  down.  Her  kind  companion 
had  been  obliged  to  leave  them,  with  the 
promise  of  seeing  them  soon  again.  Peggy 
thought  she  might  stay  a  few  minutes,  though 
the  gong  for  gym  had  already  rung. 

"  Now,  Lobelia,"  she  was  saying,  —  "  I  am 
going  to  call  you  Lobelia,  you  know,  and  you 
are  to  call  me  Peggy,  and  we  are  going  to  be 


104  PEGGY. 

friends.  Now,  Lobelia,  mind  what  I  say !  if 
those  girls  ever  give  you  any  more  trouble, 
you  are  to  come  straight  to  me.  Do  you 
hear  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Lobelia,  faintly. 

"  Have  they  tormented  you  before  ?  Beasts ! 
Or  was  this  the  first  time  ?  " 

"Oh,  not  —  not  so  much!"  said  the  girl, 
deprecatingly.  "  A  little  yesterday ;  but  — 
I  don't  know  whether  they  meant  to  be 
unkind,  Peggy.  I  know  that  my  dress  is 
queer ! " 

"  Don't  be  so  meek  !  "  cried  Peggy,  unable 
to  repress  a  little  stamp  of  her  foot,  which 
made  Lobelia  start.  "  Have  some  spirit  of 
your  own,  Lobelia.  I  tell  you,  these  girls 
are  mean,  cowardly  wretches,  not  fit  for  girls 
like  the  Owls  to  speak  to.  They  don't  speak 
to  them  much,  either,"  she  added,  "  and  I'm 
not  going  to  any  more  than  I  can  help." 

Lobelia  looked  more  miserable  than  ever. 
"  Don't !  "  she  said.  "  I  can't  bear  to  have 
any  one  get  into  trouble  on  my  account.  It 
—  it  needn't  matter  to  you,  Peggy.  Of  course 
you  are  very,  very  kind,  and  I  think  I  should 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  105 

have  died  if  you  had  not  come  along  just 
then,  for  I  couldn't  seem  to  bear  much  more ; 
but  I  don't  want  you  to  get  into  trouble." 

"  Who's  going  to  get  into  trouble  ? "  de 
manded  Peggy.  "  Guess  I  can  take  care  of 
myself  against  such  a  set  as  that." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  get  into  trouble !  " 
repeated  Lobelia ;  and,  as  she  spoke,  she 
glanced  around  the  room  with  a  peculiar 
shrinking  look,  one  would  say  a  look  of  dread, 
that  Peggy  did  not  understand. 

"Who's  next  door  to  you?"  she  asked, 
briefly.  "  Rose  Barclay,  for  one,  I  know.  Who 
is  on  the  other  side  ? " 

Lobelia  thought  it  was  another  freshman, 
but  was  not  sure. 

"Have  they  troubled  you?"  asked  Peggy, 
suspiciously. 

But  Lobelia  shook  her  head,  and  seemed  so 
distressed  at  the  question  that  Peggy  did  not 
know  what  to  think. 

"  Please,  please  don't  bother  about  me  !  " 
she  implored.  "  I  dare  say  it  will  be  a  good 
deal  better  now,  after  you  and  Miss  Merry- 
weather  being  so  brave  and  so  kind.  I  don't 


106  PEGGY. 

want  to  say  anything  against  anybody.   Please, 
please  forget  all  about  it,  Peggy." 

"I  want  you  to  be  brave  yourself,"  cried 
Peggy  ;  and  Lobelia  started  again,  and  shrank 
in  her  chair.  "  Don't  be  so  —  so  —  well,  I 
don't  know  any  word  but  meeching,  and 
Margaret  won't  let  me  say  that.  But  have 
a  spirit  of  your  own,  and  stand  up  to  them, 
and  give  'em  as  good  as  they  send.  I  would, 
I  tell  you,  quick  enough,  if  they  tried  it  on 


me." 


Lobelia  looked  at  her  with  hopeless  eyes. 
"  But  I  am  not  you !  "  she  said.  "I  —  Peggy, 
I  know  just  how  I  look,  and  how  I  seem,  and 
how  little  and  ugly  and  queer  I  am.  I  don't 
wonder  they  laugh,  I  don't,  really.  I  haven't 
any  spirit,  either ;  I  can't  have.  You  can't 
do  anything  with  me ;  it  isn't  any  use." 

Peggy  gazed  at  her,  with  eyes  almost  as 
hopeless  as  her  own.  Yet  she  must  make  one 
more  attempt ;  and  with  it  the  honest  blood 
came  into  her  face. 

"'Look  here,  Lobelia !  "  she  said,  "  I  am  awk 
ward,  too,  and  shy,  and  —  and  stupid,  awfully 
stupid.  Why,  my  cousin  Rita  used  to  call  me 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  107 

—  never  mind,  that  was  only  before  she  grew 
so  kind  !  But  I  know  what  it  is  to  be  laughed 
at,  my  dear  !  Only  this  morning,  in  rhetoric, 
Miss  Pugsley  was  just  as  hateful  as  she  could 
be,  and  all  the  girls  laughed ;  yes,  they  did. 
So  you  are  not  so  different  as  you  think. 
Why,  —  I  don't  mind  telling  you, — when  I 
came  along  just  now,  I  was  trying  to  get  to 
my  own  room,  so  that  I  could  have  a  good 
cry.  There,  Lobelia !  now  how  do  you 
feel  ?  "  Lobelia  raised  her  eyes  with  a  won 
dering  look ;  but  next  moment  her  eyes  fell 
on  the  looking-glass  and  she  shook  her 
head. 

"  No  !  "  she  said.  "  No,  Peggy  !  You  are 
kind,  and  you  want  to  make  me  feel  comfort 
able  ;  but  look  !  " 

She  motioned  toward  the  mirror.  Peggy 
looked,  and  her  kind  heart  sank.  She  her 
self  was  no  beauty ;  her  round,  fair  face  and 
honest  blue  eyes  were  pleasant  to  look  at, 
and  she  had  beautiful  hair,  but  that  was  all ; 
yet  she  could  not  help  seeing  that  she  was  a 
very  vision  of  loveliness  beside  the  sallow, 
puny,  almost  deformed  aspect  of  her  poor 


108  PEGGY. 

little  neighbour.  She  coloured  deep  with 
angry  sympathy,  but  Lobelia  only  smiled,  a 
wan  little  smile. 

"You    see!"    she    said.      "It's   no    use, 
Peggy." 

For  all  answer,  Peggy  threw  her  arms 
around  the  shrinking  figure,  and  pressed  it  in 
a  warm  embrace.  "  I  don't  care !  "  she  cried. 
"  I  don't  say  you  are  pretty,  you  poor  little 
thing,  but  just  remember  that  you  are  my 
friend,  and  if  anybody  dares  to  meddle  with 
you  again,  they'll  have  to  reckon  with 
me,  that's  all.  And  now  I  must  go,  or  I 
shall  lose  all  the  drill.  Cheer  up,  Lobelia, 
and  don't  sit  here  and  mope,  mind !  and  if 
you  have  any  more  trouble,  just  knock  on 
the  floor,  and  I'll  be  up  in  half  a  quarter  of 
a  jiffy.  Good-bye,  dear ! "  and  off  she  ran, 
feeling  that  at  least  she  had  left  some  degree 
of  comfort  and  cheer  behind  her. 

Soon,  however,  came  something  that  put 
Lobelia  Parkins  and  her  troubles  out  of  Peg 
gy's  head  for  the  time.  Bertha  Haughton 
was  not  at  the  gymnasium,  but  when  Peggy 
came  back  to  her  own  room  after  an  hour  of 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  109 

rapture,   she   found   a   note    pinned   on   her 
pincushion. 

"DEAR  PEGGY:  —  Study  hard,  please,  and  get 
through  before  this  evening.  The  Snowy  Owl  is 
going  to  give  us  a  Grand  Tell  about  the  wedding 
she  has  been  to,  and  we  both  want  you  to  come,  too. 
I'm  going  to  speak  to  Miss  Russell,  but  you'd  better 
ask  her,  too ;  it  will  be  all  right,  for  the  Snowy  has 
asked  permission,  anyhow.  Eight  o'clock,  just  after 
reading ;  be  sure  to  come  on  time  ! 

"  Affectionately, 

"  BERTHA." 

It  was  hard  to  study  through  that  lovely 
afternoon,  when  the  other  girls,  or  most  of 
them,  were  out-of-doors,  playing  tennis  or 
basket-ball,  and  their  voices  came  in  at  the 
window  in  every  tone  of  joyousness  and  de 
light.  It  was  very  hard  to  study  the  detested 
rhetoric  and  history,  but  Peggy  was  strong  in 
her  good  resolve,  and  bent  steadily  over  her 
books,  trying  her  very  best.  Once,  indeed, 
came  a  sore  temptation,  when  a  ball  struck 
her  window  lightly,  and,  going  to  look  out, 
she  saw  Grace  Wolfe  standing  below. 

"  Come  out,  Innocent !  "  said  the  Scapegoat, 


PEGGY. 

in  her  deep,  musical  tones.     "  Come  and  sport 
with  me ! 

"The  ship  is  ready  and  the  wind  blows  fair, 
And  I  am  bound  for  the  sea,  Mary  Anne  !  " 

"  Oh  !  Oh,  thank  you  !  "  cried  Peggy.  «  I 
wish  I  could,  but  I  have  to  work  now,  I'm 
afraid." 

"  Is  this  a  time  to  think  o'  wark, 
Wi'  Scapegoat  at  the  door  ?  " 

inquired  Grace,  looking  up  with  her  head  on 
one  side.  "  Why  work  at  this  hour,  Innocent? 
Even  the  slaves  of  virtue,  even  the  Owls,  are 
at  play  now." 

Peggy  leaned  out  of  the  window ;  it  really 
seemed  as  if  her  body  would  be  drawn  out 
after  her  longing  spirit,  which  had  been 
out  and  away  from  the  first  summons. 

"  Yes,  the  Owls  !  "  she  said.  «  That's  just 
it,  Miss  Wolfe." 

"No!"  interrupted  Grace.  « Not  Miss 
Wolfe!  Not  all  ^Esop  !  Impossible  to  be 
wolf  and  goat  at  the  same  time,  and  clo  jus- 


THE  OWL'S  NEST.  Ill 

tice  to  either  character.     Let  it  be  Goat,  or 
Grace,  as  you  like." 

"  Grace,  then,  thank  you  !  Well,  you  see, 
the  Owls,  —  that  is,  Bertha  asked  me  to  come 
to  their  room  this  evening,  and  of  course  I 
want  to  dreadfully,  —  though  riot  more  dread 
fully  than  I  want  to  come  out  now,"  she 
added,  wistfully.  "  And  if  I  do,  you  see,  I  must 
get  my  rhetoric  done.  It's  awfully  hard,  and 
I  am  so  stupid  about  it,  it  takes  me  for  ever. 
Oh,  will  you  ask  me  again  some  time, 
please  ?  " 

The  Scapegoat  regarded  her  for  a  moment, 
standing  with  the  ball  in  her  hand,  swaying 
her  light,  graceful  body  to  and  fro. 

"  Another  slave  of  virtue  ?  "  she  said.  "  Can 
I  permit  this  ?  Innocent,  I  have  half  a  mind 
to  cause  you  to  come  down.  I  am  to  be 
thrown  over  for  owls,  who  have,  if  you  will 
consider  the  matter,  neither  horns  nor  hoofs  ? 
I  am  to  let  you  stay  and  grind  through 
the  afternoon  for  them  and  for  my  Puggy? 


Her   whole   face    seemed   to    lighten  with 
whimsical  determination.     She  laid  her  hand 


112  PEGGY. 

on  the  fire-escape,  and  seemed  on  the  point  of 
mounting  it,  when  suddenly  another  change 
came  over  her.  Her  eyes  darkened  into  their 
usual  melancholy  look. 

"Here's  luck!"  she  said,  abruptly.  "See 
you  later,  Innocent ! "  She  was  gone,  and 
Peggy,  with  a  revulsion  of  feeling,  wished 
she  had  gone  with  her.  Bertha  was  a  dear, 
and  Miss  Merryweather  looked  lovely,  but 
neither  of  them  had  the  fascination  of  this 
strange  girl,  so  unlike  any  one  she  had  ever 
seen  in  her  life. 

It  was  a  forlorn  afternoon;  but  Peggy 
stuck  to  her  work  manfully,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  of  closing  the  book  at  last  with 
the  feeling  that  she  was  sure  of  it  now,  how 
ever  things  might  be  in  the  morning  under 
Miss  Pugsley's  hostile  eye. 

There  was  still  a  little  time  left  before 
supper.  She  ran  out  to  the  lawn,  hoping  to 
find  Grace  Wolfe  still  there,  but  she  was 
disappointed.  The  only  occupants  of  the 
lawn  were  half  a  dozen  sophomores  clustered 
together  at  one  end.  Blanche  Haight  was 
among  them,  and  at  sight  of  Peggy  she  turned 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  113 

her  back  pointedly,  and  whispered  to  the 
others.  They  turned  with  one  accord  and 
stared  at  Peggy,  with  a  cool  insolence  that 
made  her  blood  boil  within  her  and  surge  up 
in  angry  red  to  her  forehead.  She  could  not 
do  anything  about  it ;  they  had  a  right  to 
stare,  if  they  had  no  better  manners.  She 
returned  the  look  for  a  moment,  then  turned 
away  with  a  sore  and  angry  heart.  Fortu 
nately,  at  this  moment  came  out  two  class 
mates  of  her  own  whom  she  knew  slightly,  — 
mild,  pleasant  girls,  with  no  special  traits  of 
interest,  but  still  friendly  and  approachable. 
They  were  going  to  play  tennis,  and  invited 
Peggy  to  join  them ;  so  she  had  a  good  half- 
hour  of  exercise  and  pleasure,  and  came  in 
with  rosy  cheeks,  and  with  the  cobwebs  all 
blown  away  for  the  time. 

At  eight  o'clock  Peggy  was  standing  before 
her  glass,  putting  a  last  touch  to  her  hair, 
and  surveying  her  image  with  some  anxiety. 
Did  she  "  look  nice  ? "  Peggy  had  as  little 
personal  vanity  as  a  girl  could  well  have  ;  but 
she  had  learned  from  her  cousin  Margaret 
that  it  was  part  of  her  duty  to  look  as  well 


114  PEGGY. 

as  she  could.     Her  cousin  Rita  would  have 
had  her  go  further  than  this. 

"  Study,  my  child,"  Rita  would  cry,  "  to 
be  beautiful !  Let  it  be  your  dream  by  night, 
your  thought  by  day  !  "  And,  in  all  kindness, 
Rita  would  try  to  teach  her  how  to  cross  her 
feet  so  that  they  might  look  slender,  how  to 
extend  her  little  finger  when  she  raised  her 
hand,  "  not  too  much,  but  to  an  exact  point, 
cherie ! "  how  to  turn  her  head  so  as  to 
show  the  lines  of  the  neck  to  advantage.  But 
Peggy's  own  good  sense,  aided  by  Margaret's 
calm  wisdom,  had  told  her  the  inappropriate- 
ness  of  Rita's  graceful  airs  and  poses  to  her 
own  sturdy  personality.  She  was  to  look 
nice  ;  more  she  could  not  aspire  to.  So  here 
she  was  to-night,  in  a  pretty  blue  silk  waist, 
with  a  serge  skirt  of  a  darker  shade,  her  hair 
smoothly  braided  in  one  mammoth  "  pigtail," 
and  tied  with  blue  ribbons,  her  neat  collar 
fastened  with  a  pretty  pearl  brooch.  Thus 
attired,  our  Peggy  was  truly  pleasant  to  look 
upon;  and  her  "Is  that  right,  Margaret?" 
brought  a  little  satisfied  nod  of  reply  from 
the  smiling  image  in  the  glass. 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  115 

Drawing  near  the  Owl's  Nest,  she  heard  a 
hum  of  voices,  and  straightway  her  heart 
sank  again,  and  shyness  possessed  her.  There 
was  a  crowd  there !  They  would  all  be 
juniors  and  seniors,  and  she  the  only  freshman 
among  them.  How  could  she  go  in?  Oh! 
she  almost  wished  she  was  up  in  the  other 
corridor  with  the  younger  girls  ! 

But  at  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and 
Bertha's  kind  face  looked  out. 

"  Here  you  are,  Peggy !  "  she  cried,  cor 
dially.  "  Come  along  ;  there's  plenty  of  room, 
for  I've  saved  a  place  for  you.  Come  !  " 

For  a  moment  Peggy  hung  back,  and  knew 
how  Lobelia  Parkins  felt ;  then  she  made  an 
effort,  and  followed  Bertha  into  the  room. 

The  Owl's  Nest  was  a  corner  room,  with 
windows  on  two  sides.  It  seemed  to  be  fur 
nished  chiefly  with  books.  There  were  the 
two  brass  beds,  of  course,  the  twin  bureaus, 
the  desks,  and  table.  All  of  these,  except 
the  beds,  were  covered  with  books ;  book 
shelves  took  up  most  of  the  wall  space,  though 
there  were  two  or  three  good  pictures,  among 
them  a  great  photograph  of  the  sea,  that 


116  PEGGY. 

almost  dashed  the  spray  in  one's  face,  so  per 
fect  was  it.  It  was  at  a  later  visit  that  Peggy 
observed  the  books  ;  now,  she  was  conscious 
of  nothing  save  the  girls.  The  room  was 
certainly  full  of  them.  There  were  three  on 
each  bed,  curled  up  in  every  variety  of  pic 
turesque  and  comfortable  attitude ;  two  sat 
on  one  of  the  bureaus,  having  pushed  books 
and  toilet  articles  up  into  a  toppling  and 
highly  perilous  mountain  behind  them;  four 
more  crouched  somehow  on  the  rather  narrow 
window-seats.  The  rest  were  on  the  floor, 
except  two  early  birds,  who  had  come  in  time 
to  get  the  two  chairs.  The  floor  was  made 
comfortable  with  sofa-pillows,  borrowed  from 
the  whole  length  of  the  corridor.  Altogether, 
there  might  have  been  twenty  girls  in  the 
room,  and  every  girl  was,  or  seemed  to  be, 
talking  as  fast  as  her  tongue  could  move. 

Peggy  was  hailed  with  a  bird-like  call  from 
one  corner. 

"  My  Veezy-vee  !  come  here,  Peggy  Mont- 
fort,  and  sit  by  me." 

It  was  Viola  Vincent.  She  was  curled  up 
at  the  head  of  one  of  the  beds.  She  wore  the 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  117 

prettiest  pink  tea-gown  imaginable,  and  her 
hair  was  a  wonder  of  puffs  and  curls. 

"  Come  here !  "  she  repeated,  patting  the 
pillows.  "  Lots  of  room ;  miles  !  Let  her 
come  here,  Fluffy  !  " 

"  Yes,  she  shall,  in  a  minute,  V."  replied 
Bertha.  "But  first,  —  Toots,  here's  Peggy 
Montfort ! " 

The  Snowy  Owl  came  swiftly  out  of  the 
closet,  where  she  had  been  performing  some 
mystic  rite  ;  she  took  Peggy's  two  hands  in 
hers,  and  held  them  in  a  warm,  firm  grasp 
that  was  the  very  soul  of  cordiality. 

"  I'm  so  glad !  "  she  said.  "  How's  the  poor 
little  thing  ?  Better  ?  I'm  sure  you  did  her 
a  great  deal  of  good." 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  stammered  Peggy,  pleased  and 
confused.  "  I  couldn't  really  do  anything ; 
but  she  is  feeling  better." 

Gertrude  Merryweather  nodded  wisely. 
"  My  dear,  you  can  do  a  great  deal  for  her  !  " 
she  said.  "We'll  have  a  talk  sometime;  no 
chance  now.  Only,  Bertha  has  been  telling 
me  things,  and  I'm  so  glad  you  are  in  our 
street !  There,  now  V,  shall  have  you." 


118  PEGGY. 

Judge  of  the  glow  at  Peggy's  heart,  on 
these  words  from  the  Junior  President,  the 
best-loved  girl  —  or  so  it  was  said  —  in  the 
whole  school.  Those  foolish  tears  actually 
got  half-way  up  to  her  eyes,  —  only  they  were 
very  different  from  the  last  tears ;  but  fortu 
nately  Viola's  high-pitched  babble  drove  them 
back  again. 

"  My  dear  !  How  nice  you  look  !  perf'ly 
fine  /  doesn't  she,  V.  ?  Say,  that's  a  dandy 
pin  you've  got  on,  simply  dandy !  There ! 
isn't  this  too  quaint  for  anything?  You 
comfy  ?  so'm  I !  Room,  my  dear  ?  gallons  of 
room  !  I  haven't  seen  you  for  an  age  ;  where 
have  you  kept  yourself  ?  I  looked  into  your 
room,  though,  and  it's  perf'ly  fine  !  I  told 
you  it  would  be,  when  you  had  things  fixed. 
Your  chintz  is  too  perfectly  sweet  for  any 
thing  ;  isn't  it,  V.  ?  We  were  simply  cold 
with  envy,  weren't  we,  Y.  ?" 

"  Do  cackle  for  yourself,  if  you  must  cackle, 
Y. ! "  responded  Yivia  Yarnham,  who  sat  on 
the  same  bed,  a  little  lower  down.  "  I  can't 
hear  myself  think,  you  make  such  a  noise." 

"No,    really?"    cried   Yiola.      "But    that 


THE    OWL'S    NEST.  119 

must  be  such  an  advantage  sometimes,  V. 
But,  say!  we  came  here  to  hear  the  Snowy 
talk,  didn't  we  ?  She  hasn't  had  much  chance 
yet,  has  she  ?  Are  you  ready  to  talk,  Snowy  ? 
Oh,  you  duck !  it  is  too  perfectly  enchanting 
to  have  you  back  again.  I  haven't  lived  since 
you  went  away,  have  I,  V.  ?  I've  been  simply 
a  vegetable,  haven't  I,  V.  ?  Potatoes,  my 
dear,  are  lively  compared  to  me.  Are  you 
ready  to  talk,  Snowy  ?  " 

"  If  you  are  ready  to  have  me,"  replied  the 
Snowy  Owl,  laughing.  "  First,  however  — 
here ! " 

She  produced  a  mammoth  box  of  "  marsh- 
mallows,"  and  handed  it  around.  It  was 
received  with  a  shout. 

"  Toast  'em  ! "  cried  one.  "  Hat-pins  !  " 
cried  another.  There  was  a  movement  toward 
the  gas-jet ;  but  Bertha  Haughton  checked  it 
decidedly.  "  You  have  come  here  to  hear  the 
Snowy  tell !  "  she  said.  "  It's  a  long  tell,  and 
if  you  begin  toasting  now,  there  won't  be 
time.  Tell  first,  toast  afterward  !  that's  what 
I  say!" 

"Hark  to  the  Fluffy!   she  speaks  well!" 


120  PEGGY. 

cried  the  girls.  There  was  silence ;  and 
Gertrude  Merryweather,  sitting  on  the  floor, 
with  her  hands  clasped  around  her  knees, 
began  her  "  tell." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

WEDDING    BELLS. 

"  To  begin  with,  girls,  this  is  Fluffy's  idea, 
not  mine  !  Of  course  none  of  you  ever  saw 
our  Hildegarde,  so  I  didn't  suppose  you  would 
care  particularly ;  but  when  I  was  telling  the 
Fluffy  last  night,  she  said  it  was  selfish  and 
all  kinds  of  things  to  keep  it  to  ourselves, 
and  that  you  must  all  hear  about  it ;  so  if  you 
don't  find  it  interesting,  pull  out  the  Fluffy's 
feathers,  not  mine. 

"  Hildegarde  G-rahame  —  she  is  Hildegarde 
Merryweather  now,  but  I  cannot  realise  it  yet 
—  has  been  a  very  dear  friend  of  ours  for 
several  years.  We  think  there  is  no  one  like 
her  in  the  world ;  I'll  show  you  a  picture  of 
her  by  and  by.  Well,  a  year  ago  she  became 
engaged  to  my  uncle." 

"  Your  uncle  !  "  cried  the  girls.  "  Why,  I 
thought  she  was  a  girl  ! " 

121 


122  PEGGY. 

"  So  she  is  a  girl,  but  Roger  —  well,  lie  is 
my  uncle,  but  lie  isn't  so  very  much  older 
than  I  am.  That  is — he  is  twenty-five,  and 
Hildegarde  is  twenty  ;  so  you  see  it  is  just 
exactly  right.  There  isn't  anybody  like  him, 
either.  He  is  as  near  an  angel  as  a  man  can 
come  and  be  alive  ;  and  he  is  tremendously 
clever,  really  eminent  already  in  his  profes 
sion,  and  we  all  love  him  to  distraction." 

"Is  he  handsome?"  asked  Viola  Vincent. 

"  I  don't  know  ;  yes,  I  think  he  is.  Not  a 
barber-shop  beauty,  though.  He  is  tall,  and 
very  strong,  broad-shouldered,  with  the  kind 
est  eyes  in  the  world,  and  a  smile  that  makes 
you  crinkle  all  over  with  pleasure.  Well, 
and  so  they  were  engaged,  and  now  they  are 
married ;  the  wedding  was  on  Wednesday, 
and  this  is  Friday,  and  here  I  am.  Now  I'll 
begin  at  the  very  beginning -of  the  day.  Of 
course  we  woke  up  early,  and  looked  out  of 
the  window  ;  and  it  was  all  gray  and  cloudy. 
I  thought  it  was  going  to  rain,  and  I  was  in 
the  depths,  but  Bell  —  you  know  Bell,  my 
sister,  at  college  —  was  sure  it  would  clear 
before  seven,  and  so  it  did.  The  sun  came 


WEDDING    BELLS.  123 

out  bright  and  clear,  and  soon  we  saw  that  it 
was  going  to  be  the  most  beautiful  day  that 
ever  was.  We  had  been  out  in  the  fields  all 
day  before,  getting  flowers,  and  we  had  them 
all  ready  in  tubs  and  bowls  and  pitchers  ;  so 
after  breakfast  we  could  go  right  to  work  on 
the  decorations.  We  did  the  church  first. 
It  is  a  pretty  stone  church,  with  a  good 
deep  chancel.  We  filled  in  the  back  of  the 
chancel  with  great  ferns  —  mostly  evergreen 
ferns,  so  that  they  would  not  wilt  —  and 
palms  and  things ;  and  then  we  made  banks 
and  banks  of  asters  and  goldenrod,  —  oh,  it 
was  lovely  !  Most  of  them  came  from  the 
camp-pasture,  Bertha;  you  remember  how 
lovely  it  is  in  September." 

Bertha  nodded.  "  I  should  think  I  did  !  " 
she  said.  "  Most  beautiful  place  I  ever  saw, 
except  the  rest  of  it  all." 

"  Well,  I  never  saw  it  look  more  beautiful 
than  that  day  before  the  wedding,  when  Bell 
and  the  boys  and  I  rode  out  on  our  wheels, 
and  came  back  by  moonlight,  with  great 
bundles  of  purple  and  gold  tied  on  our  backs 
and  nodding  over  our  heads.  But  all  the 


124  PEGGY. 

ferns  and  the  asters  and  chrysanthemums 
and  roses  came  mostly  from  Hildegarde's  own 
garden  at  Braeside,  and  from  Roseholme,  Colo 
nel  Ferrers' s  place.  We  might  have  carpeted 
the  church  entirely  with  asters,  if  we  had 
wanted  to ;  as  it  was,  we  had  great  garlands 
of  them  twined  over  the  chancel  rail  and 
swinging  among  the  ferns  and  goldenrod ; 
really,  I  never  saw  so  many  flowers  at  one 
time  in  my  life.  When  that  was  all  done  we 
went  to  the  house,  Braeside,  the  Grahames' 
house,  to  see  if  we  could  help  there ;  but  Mrs. 
Flower,  a  friend  of  Hildegarde's,  of  whom  we 
used  to  be  the  least  little  bit  jealous  before 
we  knew  her,  was  there,  and  another  friend, 
Miss  Desmond,  —  she  was  one  of  the  brides 
maids,  —  and  they  had  everything  so  beauti 
fully  arranged  that  there  was  nothing  for  us 
to  do  but  stand  and  admire  it  with  all  our 
eyes.  People  in  New  York  had  sent  down  all 
kinds  of  splendid  flowers,  boxes  and  boxes  of 
them,  so  that  the  house  was  a  perfect  bower, 
and  smelt  like  the  Vale  of  Cashmere ;  but  we 
knew  very  well  that  Hilda  would  like  our 
flowers  best.  Then  —  well,  a  lot  more  pres- 


WEDDING    BELLS.  125 

erits  had  come  since  the  night  before,  so  as 
there  was  time  enough  before  dressing,  we 
went  in  to  see  them.  I  don't  suppose  you 
care  about  the  presents,  girls !  " 

"Oh!  oh!  we  do  !  "  cried  the  girls,  in  chorus. 
"  We  want  to  hear  about  every  single  one, 
Snowy." 

"My  dears!  it  would  take  me  all  night, 
and  then  I  couldn't  remember  them  all.  But 
I'll  try  and  tell  you  some  of  them.  Let  me 
see!  Colonel  Ferrers  gave  her  a  set  of  sap 
phires  ;  the  most  beautiful  things  you  ever 
saw.  Necklace  and  pendant  and  pin,  most 
wonderful  dark  blue  stones,  set  in  star-shape. 
And  Jack  Ferrers  and  his  father  gave  her 
some  wonderful  Roman  gold-work  —  I  don't 
know  how  to  describe  it,  I  never  saw  anything 
like  it  —  that  Jack  picked  up  in  Europe. 
Then  there  was  silver,  heaps  and  heaps  of  it, 
from  relatives  in  New  York  and  I  don't  know 
where  ;  some  of  it  very  handsome  indeed,  but 
I  don't  care  so  much  about  silver,  do  you  ? 
I  remember  there  were  ten  salt-cellars,  no  two 
alike.  But  the  things  we  cared  for  were  the 
small  presents  that  came  from  people  we  knew ; 


126  PEGGY. 

people  who  loved  Hildegarde,  not  just  be 
cause  she  was  their  grandniece  or  something, 
but  because  she  was  herself.  Oh,  some  of 
them  were  funny,  girls  !  There  were  two 
dear  old  people  who  had  come  a  long  way  to 
the  wedding,  a  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartley,  with 
whom  Hilda  spent  a  summer  when  she  was 
about  fifteen,  and  whom  she  has  been  fond  of 
ever  since.  I  should  think  she  would  be ;  the 
old  lady  has  a  face  like  Raphael's  grand 
mother  —  I  can't  think  of  any  other  way  of 
describing  it;  and  Mr.  Hartley  is  simply  a 
duck,  the  dearest  funny  old  man  you  ever 
saw.  Well,  they  brought  Hilda  the  most 
beautiful  toilet-set  I  ever  saw  or  dreamed 
Of?  —  something  wonderful,  all  blue  dragons 
and  gilding.  Papa  said  it  was  very  rare; 
and  Hilda  cried  when  she  saw  it,  and  scolded 
them  dreadfully  for  bringing  it  away  from  its 
own  room ;  but  still  she  was  delighted  to  have 
it,  and  says  she  will  never  use  any  other. 
Then  there  was  young  Doctor  Chirk,  —  funny 
name,  isn't  it?  — Mrs.  Flower's  brother.  Such 
a  nice,  bright,  jolly  fellow  !  Well,  he  was  part 
of  that  same  summer,  it  seems,  and  he  carved 


WEDDING    BELLS.  127 

a  beautiful  frame  out  of  wood  that  grew  in 
Hartley's  Glen ;  and  Mrs.  Flower,  who  paints 
very  well,  had  made  a  picture  of  the  glen 
itself  —  lovely  place  !  —  for  the  frame,  or  I 
suppose  the  frame  was  made  to  fit  the  pic 
ture,  no  matter  which ;  and  that  filled  her 
with  joy. 

"  Then  there  were  the  people  from  Bywood. 
My  dear,  Miss  Wealthy  Bond  is  the  most 
beautiful  creature  I  have  ever  seen,  except 
two.  She  is  just  like  live  Dresden  china, 
smiling  and  dimpling;  and  the  dear  quaint 
maid  who  came  with  her,  Martha,  had  made 
Hildegarde's  whole  winter  provision  of  jellies 
and  jams,  because  '  it  wasn't  likely  Hilde- 
garde  would  have  time  herself  this  first  sea 
son,  and  it  wasn't  a  thing  you  could  trust  to 
hired  help  in  general.'  Miss  Bond  herself 
had  brought  china  —  my  dear !  did  you  ever 
see  tortoise-shell  crockery  ?  Well,  it  is  a  most 
beautiful  thing,  and  the  art  was  lost  a  hun 
dred  years  ago,  and  each  piece  is  worth  I  don't 
know  how  much  ;  but  this  dear  old  lady  had 
a  dozen  plates,  all  hexagonal,  too,  and  not  a 
single  point  broken  or  chipped,  and  two  pitch- 


128  PEGGY. 

ers,  —  well,  I  haven't  the  heart  even  to  think 
of  those  pitchers,  I  wanted  them  so,  —  and 
they  were  all  for  Hilda,  because  Hilda  had 
brought  the  sunshine  back  into  her  life,  she 
told  me. 

"  Girls,  it  was  the  same  story  everywhere. 
Mrs.  Grahame  being  so  delicate,  and  Hilda  so 
busy,  Bell  and  I  were  there  a  great  deal  the 
few  days  before  the  wedding,  and  we  took  the 
guests  to  walk  and  drive  and  so  on.  Every 
where  it  was  the  same  story,  the  joy  and 
brightness  and  love  that  this  one  girl  had 
carried  with  her  wherever  she  went.  I  never 
shall  forget  it  —  never. 

"  Then  —  let  me  see  —  what  next  ?  Oh  !  I 
had  nearly  forgotten  the  dear  little  boy,  Benny, 
Miss  Bond's  adopted  son.  He  considers  Hilda 
his  own  private  property,  and  he  was  furiously 
jealous  of  Roger  and  everybody  else.  When 
he  first  came  it  was  quite  sad,  really,  the  child 
was  so  unhappy,  and  there  was  no  consoling 
him.  He  wanted  Hilda  to  sing  to  him  and 
play  with  him  just  as  she  did  when  she  was 
staying  there  at  By  wood  ;  and  naturally  she 
couldn't,  poor  dear,  though  it  was  wonderful 


WEDDING    BELLS.  129 

how  she  managed  to  be  with  them  all  a  little 
every  day,  and  to  see  to  almost  everything,  so 
that  her  mother  should  have  no  care  or  worry. 
Well,  where  was  I  ?  oh  !  the  little  boys. 
Hugh  Allen,  our  Hugh,  —  I  can't  stop  to 
tell  you  about  Hugh  now,  but  he  is  the  dear 
est,  queerest  little  fellow,  —  Hugh  watched 
all  this  for  awhile,  and  then  he  took  Benny 
away  with  him,  down  into  the  garden,  and 
they  were  gone  a  long  time.  And  when  they 
came  back  Benny  marched  straight  up  to 
Roger,  and  said,  '  You  are  nice !  you  can  have 
my  girl,'  and  then  marched  off  again,  and 
went  and  cried,  poor  lamb,  till  Hugh  com 
forted  him. 

"  But  I  am  not  getting  on  with  the  presents, 
am  I?  We  all  gave  her  linen,  because  she 
had  to  have  that,  and  we  wanted  to  do  some 
thing  ourselves ;  so  we,  my  mother  and  Bell 
and  Kitty  and  I,  hemmed  every  one  of  the 
table-cloths  and  napkins,  and  embroidered  the 
marks  on  all  the  towels,  and  had  a  beautiful 
time  over  it.  Mammy  read  to  us  part  of  the 
time  while  we  sewed,  all  the  interesting  wed 
dings  that  she  could  find  in  history  or  fiction, 


130  PEGGY. 

and  that  was  great  fun ;  then  she  wrote  some 
funny  verses  to  go  with  them,  and  they  really 
were  lovely  patterns,  so  it  was  a  nice  present, 
though  strictly  necessary,  you  see.  Oh,  I 
haven't  told  you  about  the  diamonds  !  Helena 
Desmond  was  so  funny  about  them  !  '  Hilda,' 
she  said, '  it  was  clear  from  the  beginning  that 
I  must  be  offered  up  on  the  altar  of  diamonds. 
I  detest  diamonds.  They  are  absolutely  un 
interesting  ;  they  are  almost  vulgar.  Never 
mind,  you  have  to  have  some,  and  nobody 
else  will  be  stupid  and  commonplace  enough 
to  give  them  to  you.  I  had  hopes  of  your 
Aunt  Emily,  but  she  has  expended  herself  in 
lace,  and  was  so  happy  over  it  that  I  hadn't 
the  heart  to  whisper  "  diamonds  !  "  in  her  ear, 
as  I  had  meant  to  do.  Here  they  are,  my 
child  ;  the  customary  horrors  !  ' 

"  Well,  they  were  very  beautiful,  though  I 
confess  I  should  have  liked  pearls  better  for 
Hilda.     A  diamond  crescent  and  star,  really 
splendid.     She  is  very  rich,  you  know." 
"  Is  that  the  great  beauty  ?  "  asked  a  girl, 
"  Yes,   she   is  superb,    certainly.     Next  to 
Hilda,  perhaps  —  but  I'll  come  to  that  pres- 


WEDDING    BELLS.  131 

ently.  Well,  now  perhaps  I  have  told  you 
half  the  things,  or  rather  more  than  half  ;  but 
they  are  the  things  I  cared  most  about,  you 
see.  I  can't  go  into  a  list  of  forks  and  spoons. 
So  now  I  come  to  the  wedding  itself." 

The  girls  drew  a  long  breath  and  leaned 
forward ;  presents  were  very  well,  but  wed 
dings  were  better. 

"  It  was  at  noon,  of  course.  There  were 
only  two  bridesmaids,  Helena  Desmond  and 
I.  Hilda  said  she  wanted  only  her  nearest 
and  dearest,  so  she  would  not  ask  her  cousins, 
though  I  fancy  they  had  hoped  to  be  asked. 
She  wanted  Bell,  but  Bell  said  it  was  posi 
tively  necessary  that  she  should  play  the  organ, 
and  so  it  was.  We  wore  perfectly  plain  white 
muslin  gowns,  but,  oh,  they  were  so  pretty  ! 
with  soft  pale  green  sashes,  and  little  wreaths 
of  ivy  in  our  hair.  Hildegarde  wanted  every 
thing  as  simple  as  possible,  so  we  didn't  go 
into  hats,  or  any  of  that  kind  of  nonsense. 
Jerry  —  my  brother  Gerald  —  was  best  man, 
and  the  ushers  were  Phil  and  Willy,  my  other 
brothers,  and  Jack  Ferrers  and  Doctor  Chirk 
and  Hugh  Allen.  Well,  so  the  hour  came. 


132  PEGGY. 

"  Helena  and  I  were  ready  and  waiting  at 
Braeside  when  Hilda  came  down-stairs.  Girls, 
you  never  saw  anything  so  lovely  in  your 
lives  as  she  was.  Her  dress  was  very  simple, 
too,  white  embroidered  muslin,  exquisitely 
fine.  Colonel  Ferrers  brought  it  from  India, 
years  and  years  ago,  for  a  lovely  young  girl 
who  died  while  he  was  on  his  way  home.  It 
had  been  made  in  the  house,  and  it  looked 
just  like  her,  as  her  dresses  always  do.  She 
wore  a  little  gold  pin  that  Roger  made  for  her 
himself,  —  mined  the  gold  and  all,  —  no  other 
ornament,  and  a  wreath  of  white  roses,  roses 
that  the  Roseholme  gardener  had  been  nurs 
ing  all  summer  to  make  them  blossom  just  at 
the  right  time.  That  was  his  present ;  every 
body  wanted  to  do  something,  you  see." 

"  What  does  she  look  like  ?  "  asked  a  girl. 

"  Well,  you  have  to  see  her  to  know  what 
she  really  looks  like,  for  half  of  it  is  the  ex 
pression  and  the  look  in  her  eyes.  Gray  eyes, 
so  clear  and  true,  —  you  know  she  couldn't 
say  or  do  anything  unkind  or  false  to  save 
her  life,  —  and  a  colour  just  like  a  wild  rose, 
and  a  nose,  —  well,  it's  just  her  own  nose, 


WEDDING   BELLS.  133 

tilted  up  a  little,  but  perfectly  delightful ;  and 
when  she  smiles,  you  think  she  has  the  most 
beautiful  mouth  in  the  world,  though  I  don't 
suppose  she  really  has.  Here,  this  gives  you 
a  little  idea  of  her ;  just  a  very  little,  for  it 
doesn't  begin  to  think  of  doing  her  justice." 

The  girls  clustered  eagerly  to  see  the  pho 
tograph,  which  was  passed  on  from  hand  to 
hand.  It  was  a  lovely  face,  indeed,  at  which 
they  looked ;  yet,  as  Gertrude  said,  the  actual 
beauty  was  the  least  part  of  its  charm.  Truth 
and  kindness  shone  from  it ;  not  the  lightest 
and  most  foolish  girl  there  but  felt  grave  for 
a  moment,  meeting  that  steady  look  of  cheer 
and  constancy. 

"  And  yet  she  looks  awfully  jolly,  too !  " 
said  one,  breaking  the  silence,  and  voicing 
the  thought 'of  all. 

"  My  dear,  she  is  more  fun —  " 

"  Than  a  goat?"  asked  a  new  voice  ;  and 
Grace  Wolfe  slipped  in  quietly  at  the  window, 
and,  nodding  to  the  company,  took  her  seat 
on  the  floor. 

"  I  have  heard  all !  "  she  said.  "  Go  on, 
Snowy !  I  see  now  where  you  got  your  vir- 


134 


PEGGY. 


tues ;  this  young  woman  has  much  to  answer 
for." 

Gertrude  looked  at  her  kindly,  but  said 
nothing ;  in  a  moment  the  story  went  on. 

"We  walked  over  to  the  church  —  it  is 
only  a  few  steps  —  just  as  we  were,  without 
any  formal  arrangement.  Hilda  held  her 
mother's  hand  fast  all  the  time;  they  were 
both  very  quiet.  The  dear  old  black  cook 
walked  with  them,  crying  all  the  way.  Hugh 
had  Hilda's  other  hand.  I  —  I  can't  tell  about 
this  part." 

Gertrude's  voice  faltered  for  a  moment; 
then  she  went  on  more  steadily. 

"  Colonel  Ferrers  was  waiting  at  the  church 
door,  with  his  brother,  Mr.  Raymond  Ferrers. 
All  the  ushers  were  there,  too,  and  we  could 
see  that  the  church  was  full.  And,  oh !  just 
a  little  way  from  the  door  was  a  band  of  little 
girls,  Hilda's  sewing-class,  and  they  all  had 
baskets  of  flowers,  and  scattered  them  in  front 
of  her  as  she  walked.  I  forgot  to  put  that  in 
where  it  belonged,  but  it  was  very  pretty,  and 
if  you  had  seen  the  way  they  looked  at  her ! 

"Well,   then   it  all   seemed   to   happen  in 


WEDDING    BELLS.  135 

a  moment.  Mr.  Raymond  Ferrers  took  Mrs. 
Grahame  up  the  aisle ;  and  then  the  organ 
broke  out  with  the  wedding  march.  I  have 
heard  my  sister  Bell  play  pretty  well,  but 
never  as  she  did  then.  It  seemed  to  fill  the 
whole  world,  and  yet  it  was  not  too  loud, 
either.  Then  the  ushers  went  up,  and  then 
Helena  and  I,  and  then  came  our  dear  bride 
on  Colonel  Ferrers'  arm.  Roger  was  waiting 
at  the  altar  steps  with  Gerald.  He  came 
forward  to  meet  her,  and  took  both  her 
hands,  —  oh,  with  such  a  beautiful  look  in 
his  face !  and  then  drew  her  arm  through  his, 
so  proud  and  quiet  and  happy,  and  then  the 
service  went  on.  They  both  spoke  so  clearly, 
everybody  could  hear  them,  and  the  ring  was 
ready,  and  there  was  not  a  mistake  anywhere ; 
only  both  Jerry  and  the  colonel  were  on  the 
point  of  breaking  down,  both  of  them,  and 
every  time  the  colonel  blew  his  nose  I  could 
see  Jerry  start  and  wince.  And  so  they  were 
married,  and  the  music  broke  out  again,  and 
Roger  put  back  the  veil  and  kissed  his  wife ; 
and  —  and  then  they  came  back  down  the 
aisle,  and  —  and  —  and  that  is  all !  " 


136  PEGGY. 

Gertrude  had  struggled  hard  for  composure. 
She  had  nearly  outgrown  the  childish  prone- 
ness  to  tears,  which  in  early  days  had  earned 
her  the  home  sobriquet  of  "Chelsea  Water 
works;"  but  this  recital  touched  her  too 
nearly,  and  she  had  overcalculated  her  power 
of  self-restraint.  Her  voice  broke  altogether, 
and  she  could  only  nod  and  smile  through 
her  tears  on  Bertha,  who  was  regarding  her 
remorsefully. 

"  I  ought  not  to  have  made  you,  Toots !  " 
said  Bertha.  "  I  did  want  them  to  hear  it, 
it  has  been  so  beautiful.  Don't  cry,  dear !  " 
But  Grace  Wolfe  came  and  laid  her  hand  on 
Gertrude's  shoulder,  and  spoke  in  a  tone  one 
hardly  ever  heard  in  that  voice. 

"  Don't  stop  her  !  "  she  said,  gravely.  "Let 
her  cry!  It's  good  for  her  —  and  for  all  of 
us  !  Snowy,  your  friend  is  a  blessed  creature, 
and  you  are  another." 

No  one  spoke  for  a  few  moments.  Peggy 
was  crying  quietly  in  her  corner,  and  feeling 
that  she  had  been  at  the  wedding  herself,  and 
wondering  what  she  should  possibly  do  if 
Margaret  should  ever  get  married. 


WEDDING   BELLS.  137 

But  now  the  Snowy  Owl  wiped  away  her 
tears  in  good  earnest,  and  spoke  in  her  own 
cheerful  tones. 

"Come,  this  will  never  do.  Girls,  we 
have  extra  time  to-night,  Miss  Russell  was 
so  kind  when  I  told  her  what  I  wanted  to 
do;  but  even  that  time  will  be  up  if  we 
don't  mind.  Volunteers  to  toast  marshmal- 
lows  ! " 

Instantly  there  was  a  rush  and  a  cry.  A 
dozen  hands  were  stretched  out.  Hat-pins 
appeared,  as  if  by  magic,  brandished  on  every 
side.  In  another  moment  a  dozen  marshmal- 
lows  were  frizzling  over  the  gas-jets,  while 
the  student  lamp  did  duty  for  several  more. 
As  soon  as  one  was  done,  it  was  popped,  hiss 
ing  hot,  into  an  open  mouth,  and  the  hat-pin, 
charged  with  another  freight,  returned  to  the 
charge.  Cries  of  mingled  joy  and  anguish 
rose  on  every  side. 

"  Oh,  I  am  burnt  entirely !  The  skin  is  all 
off  my  lips." 

"  Here,  for  me  one  !  " 

"  No,  she  has  had  two  already  !  Fluffy,  my 
turn  next !  " 


138  PEGGY. 

It  was  a  merry  Babel.  The  fun  rose  higher 
and  higher.  Peggy  dried  her  eyes,  and  looked 
on  wondering.  How  could  they  hear  each 
other  ?  They  were  all  talking  at  once,  each 
one  faster  than  the  other. 

"My  dear!  Perf'ly  fine,  wasn't  it?  Oh, 
I  do  love  to  hear  a  tell  —  " 

"  When  my  cousin  was  married,  she  had 
eight  bridesmaids,  and  they  wore  just  mob 
caps,  not  another  thing  —  " 

"  Orange-blossoms  are  too  sweet  for  any 
thing,  but  they  make  some  people  — " 

"  Simply  pea-green,  my  dear,  with  fright, 
and  she  had  blue  woollen  socks  on  over  her 
white  slippers  — '  something  blue,'  you  know, 
—  and  forgot  to  take  them  off:  —  " 

"  Her  head,  and  you  never  saw  anything 
like  it  in  your  life.  It  measured  three  yards 
around,  if  it  did  —  " 

"  A  sunburst,  you  know,  diamonds  and 
pearls.  I  adore  diamonds,  for  my  part. 
Why,  to  be  married  without  diamonds  would 
be- 

"  Simply  fierce  !  I  should  die,  I  know  I 
should,  before  I  got  half-way  up  the  aisle. 


WEDDING   BELLS. 


139 


But  to  see  one,  and  the  music  and  flowers 
and  all,  is —  " 

"  Dandy !  perf 'ly  dandy  !  I  wouldn't  miss 
it  for  all  the  - 

"  Flounces,  my  dear,  up  to  the  waist,  as 
true  as  I  sit  here  !  and  she  said  '  No ! '  She 
said  :  '  Before  I'll  be  flounced  to  the  waist, 

I'll  —  "1 

"Marry  a  tin  peddler!  said  there  was 
nothing  in  the  world  she'd  like  better,  be 
cause  then  she  could  —  " 

"  Sit  still  the  whole  morning  without  mov 
ing  a  muscle,  for  fear  of  breaking  her  —  " 

"Heart,  with  forty  pearls  and  sixty  dia 
monds.  Fact,  I  assure  you,  my  dear !  I  had 
it  from - 

"  A  perfect  brute,  not  fit  for  any  one  to  —  " 

Here,  Destiny  knocked  on  the  door;  the 
round,  rosy  face  of  Miss  Carey,  the  house 
keeper,  looked  in. 

"Girls,  you  really  must  go  to  bed.  Miss 
Russell  sent  me  to  say  so.  Do  you  know 
what  time  it  is  ?  " 

Grace  Wolfe  slipped  like  a  shadow  out  of 
the  window  and  was  gone  unseen ;  the  assem- 


140  PEGGY. 

bly  broke  up  with  laughter  and  cheers  for 
the  Snowy  and  the  Fluffy,  and  snatches  of 
talk  bubbling  all  the  way  along  the  corridor. 
When  Peggy  reached  her  room,  she  found  the 
Scapegoat  already  there,  sitting  on  the  floor 
and  chanting  solemnly  : 

"  I  have  nailed  my  Puggy's  slippers 

Down  upon  her  closet  floor. 
She  may  pray  with  both  her  flippers, 
But  she'll  never  use  them  more ! " 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BY    MOONLIGHT. 

THE  time  went  quickly  enough  at  Miss 
Russell's.  Once  the  routine  established,  les 
son  followed  lesson  and  day  followed  day 
with  amazing  rapidity.  Before  Peggy  could 
realise  that  she  was  fairly  settled,  a  month 
had  passed.  It  was  not  so  bad  now  ;  in  fact, 
a  good  deal  of  it  was  very  pleasant,  she  was 
obliged  to  admit.  Her  geometry  was  a  con 
stantly  progressing  joy ;  so  was  her  anatomy, 
and  she  had  the  happy  consciousness  that  she 
was  doing  well  in  both  studies.  This  enabled 
her  to  bear  up  against  the  bitterness  of  rhet 
oric  and  of  Miss  Pugsley.  As  for  the  history, 
once  equally  dreaded,  its  terrors  had  nearly 
vanished.  Miss  Cortlandt  had  a  way  of  mak 
ing  things  so  clear  that  one  could  not  help 
remembering  them  once  they  were  explained. 
Furthermore,  she  managed  to  invest  the  lay- 


141 


142  PEGGY. 

figures  of  dead  and  gone  kings  and  conquerors 
with  life  and  motion.  Alexander  the  Great 
was  no  longer  a  tiresome  person  in  a  book, 
who  cried  in  an  absurd  way  when  there  was 
nothing  left  to  conquer.  That  had  always 
exasperated  Peggy,  "  because  if  he  had  had 
any  sense,  he  would  have  gone  on,  and  found 
out  for  himself  what  a  lot  more  there  was, 
that  his  old  books  and  seers  and  things  had 
never  found  out."  But  now,  she  found 
Alexander  in  the  first  place  a  boy  who 
knew  about  Worses,  which  in  itself  was  a 
great  thing,  and  in  the  second  place  a  man 
who  knew  about  a  great  many  other  things, 
and  who  acted  on  his  knowledge  in  a  variety 
of  swift  and  surprising  ways.  As  with  this 
hero,  so  with  others,  till  Peggy  came  to  look 
forward,  actually,  to  the  history  hour ;  which 
shows  what  a  teacher  can  do  when  she  under 
stands  her  girls,  and  knows  enough  to  call 
Plutarch  and  his  peers  (if  any !)  to  aid  her  in 
her  task. 

But  when  all  was  said  and  done,  Peggy 
was  not  cut  out  for  a  student ;  and  her  hap 
piest  hours  were  not  those  of  even  the  pleas- 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  143 

antest  class-room.  Basket-ball  claimed  her 
for  its  own,  and  she  proved  an  apt  and  ready 
learner  in  this  branch  of  study.  Less  swift 
than  Grace  Wolfe,  who  seemed  a  thing  com 
pact  of  steel  and  gossamer,  she  was  far 
stronger  to  meet  an  attack,  and  many  a 
rush  came  and  passed,  and  left  the  stalwart 
freshman  standing  steady  and  undaunted  in 
her  place. 

The  hours  of  sport  brought  the  two  girls 
nearer  and  nearer  together ;  and  Peggy  found 
herself  yielding  more  and  more — often  against 
her  own  judgment  —  to  the  fascination  of  the 
lawless  girl,  who  on  her  part  seemed  curiously 
drawn  to  the  simple,  downright,  law-abiding 
freshman. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Peggy  found 
out  why  her  room  had  been  called  Broadway. 
The  nights  were  still  fine  and  warm,  though 
it  was  now  October.  Apples  were  ripe  in  the 
neighbouring  orchards ;  and  though  it  was 
perfectly  practicable  and  allowable  to  buy  all 
the  apples  one  wanted  in  the  daytime,  that 
method  did  not  approve  itself  to  the  wilder 
spirits  at  Miss  Russell's  school. 


144  PEGGY. 

To  slide  down  the  fire-escape,  slip  across 
the  lawn,  keeping  well  under  the  trees  by  the 
edge,  and  so  out  into  the  road  and  down  to 
the  nearest  orchard,  only  a  few  rods  off,  —  this 
was  the  true  way  to  get  apples,  and  a  very 
thrilling  way  it. was.  Peggy  had  been  a  good 
deal  startled  when  the  first  merry  party,  with 
noiseless  steps  and  stifled  giggles,  came  steal 
ing  into  her  room,  and,  nodding  to  her,  made 
their  way  out  of  the  window  and  down  the 
fire-escape.  It  never  occurred  to  her  to  make 
any  effort  to  stop  them ;  they  were  sopho 
mores,  and  she  only  a  freshman.  She  sup 
posed  it  was  against  the  rules,  but  of  course 
they  would  not  really  do  any  harm ;  and  oh, 
what  a  good  time  they  would  have  ! 

She  looked  after  them  with  a  sigh,  and 
wished  them  luck  in  her  heart,  a  successful 
raid,  and  a  safe  return.  Indeed,  it  was  not 
long  before  they  were  back,  rosy  and  breath 
less,  with  baskets  and  pockets  stuffed  with 
apples.  The  Fresh  Freshman,  as  Peggy  was 
called,  did  not  fail  to  receive  her  share ;  and 
she  ate  it  with  a  little  thrill  of  vicarious 
guilt  which  was  certainly  not  unpleasant. 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  145 

The  two  Owls  never  came  with  these  par 
ties  ;  and  somehow  Peggy  did  not  mention 
the  matter  to  them,  though  she  saw  them 
constantly,  and  loved  them  always  more  and 
more.  Sometimes  the  expeditions  were  headed 
by  Grace  Wolfe,  in  her  wildest  mood ;  some 
times  it  was  Viola  Vincent,  who  came  tripping 
in  with  a  band  of  her  chosen  intimates.  Viola 
had  several  times  asked  Peggy  to  be  of  the 
party,  but  Peggy  had  not  gone,  —  she  could 
hardly  have  said  why.  Why  was  it  that 
Grace  had  never  asked  her  ?  If  she  had, 
perhaps  — 

The  night  came  when  Grace  did  ask  her. 

Peggy  had  been  studying  as  usual,  and  the 
signal  for  "  lights  out "  came  while  she  was 
still  at  her  task.  Out  went  the  light,  for 
Peggy  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  law-abiding  citi 
zen.  She  was  groping  about,  not  yet  used  to 
the  half-light  of  the  growing  moon,  when  the 
door  opened,  and  Grace  glided  in  with  her 
usual  noiseless  tread.  She  laid  her  hand  over 
Peggy's  mouth  without  a  word,  and  stood 
motionless,  seeming  to  listen.  Then  she  said 
aloud  and  deliberately : 


146  PEGGY. 

"  Yes,  I  must  go  this  minute.  I  had  no 
idea  it  was  so  late.  Suppose  Miss  Pugsley 
should  catch  us  !  You  know  she  goes  around 
and  listens  at  the  doors  every  now  and  then, 
and  looks  through  the  keyholes  to  see  what 
is  going  on." 

"  Oh,  Grace  1  "  said  Peggy. 

"  Fact,  I  assure  you.  I  sometimes  wonder 
what  Miss  Russell  would  say  if  she  knew  it. 
That  isn't  her  own  style,  you  see.  The  fun 
of  it  is,  the  other  never  realises  that  the 
wheeze  gives  her  away  every  time." 

Grace  Wolfe  had  the  ears  of  a  fox ;  but,  in 
the  pause  that  followed,  even  Peggy  heard,  or 
fancied  she  heard,  a  breathing  outside  the 
door.  It  was  only  for  an  instant,  if,  in 
deed,  it  had  been  at  all ;  yet  in  another  mo 
ment  a  board  creaked  somewhere  along  the 
corridor,  and  again  in  a  moment  came  the 
slight  but  unmistakable  sound  of  a  closing 
door. 

Grace  laughed,  and  pirouetted  merrily  on 
one  foot,  looking  in  the  moonlight  like  a 
glimmering  sprite. 

"  Oh,    Grace ! "    repeated    Peggy,    aghast. 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  147 

"  Was  she  —  could  she  have  been  there,  do 
you  think  ?  " 

"She  could  very  easily  have  been  there. 
Innocent/'  replied  the  Scapegoat.  "  Indeed, 
she  was.  I  saw  the  glitter  of  her  eye,  and  a 
sweet  thing  it  was." 

"  Oh,  but  how  could  you  ?  how  dared  you  ? 
Surely,  you  will  get  into  dreadful  trouble, 
Grace." 

"Not  I!"  said  Grace.  "She  can't  report 
me,  you  observe,  without  saying  that  she  was 
listening  at  the  door.  And  even  if  she  did, 
Miss  Russell  would  ask  her  what  I  said,  and 
she  would  be  sad  and  sorry  to  relate  that. 
No  !  this  time  I  am  safe  enough,  my  Prairie 
Flower.  But  come,  now  that  I  am  here,  shall 
we  be  merry  ? 

"  The  owl  is  abroad,  the  bat,  and  the  toad, 
And  so  is  the  catamountain. 

"  Shall  the  Goat  be  lacking  on  such  a  night 
as  this,  or  the  Wolf  either  ?  One  has  one's 
responsibilities  toward  one's  names.  Come, 
Innocent,  we'll  go  abroad  and  celebrate  my 
victory  over  my  Puggy  !  " 


148  PEGGY. 

Grace's  tone  was  as  quiet  as  ever,  but  she 
was  more  excited  than  Peggy  had  ever  seen 
her.  Her  eyes  shone ;  her  hair,  which  was 
very  beautiful,  was  unbraided  for  some  reason 
—  one  never  knew  what  whim  would  seize 
the  whimsical  one  —  and  hung  like  a  mantle 
about  her  shoulders.  Standing  thus,  with  her 
hand  on  the  window,  she  looked,  as  I  have 
said,  like  a  creature  from  another  world. 

"  Come  !  "  she  repeated  ;  and  Peggy  had 
never  heard  sweeter  music  than  her  voice. 

"  Do  you  —  do  you  think  I  ought  to?" 
stammered  the  freshman,  moving  toward  the 
window. 

"  One  owes  it  to  the  catamountain  !  "  cried 
Grace.  "  As  for  the  owls,  —  well,  they  will 
be  abroad !  "  she  added,  with  a  low  laugh. 
"  They  would  be  far  enough  abroad  if  they 
knew.  Come,  Innocent !  " 

She  glided  out  of  the  window,  and  Peggy 
followed,  her  heart  beating  to  suffocation,  her 
cheeks  glowing  with  excitement.  To  be  chosen 
by  the  Lone  Wolf  (for  this  was  another  of  the 
•  wild  girl's  nicknames,  the  third  being  Ishmael) 
as  the  companion  of  one  of  her  solitary  ram- 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  149 

bles  was  perhaps  the  most  thrilling  thing  that 
had  ever  come  into  Peggy's  simple  life.  Prob 
ably  she  would  have  had  courage  to  resist  an 
invitation  from  any  of  the  frolicsome  parties 
that  came  and  went  through  her  room ;  she 
had  no  power  to  resist  this.  Silently  she  fol 
lowed  the  Scapegoat  down  the  iron  ladder  of 
the  fire-escape,  across  the  lawn,  out  into  the 
open  road. 

Grace  turned  to  her  with  one  of  her  sudden 
movements,  and  took  both  her  hands. 

"  The  world's  before  us,  where  to  choose  !  " 
she  cried.  "  What  shall  it  be,  Innocent  ? 
Shall  we  climb  up  into  the  tower  and  ring 
the  fire-bell  ?  or  go  for  apples  ?  This  is  your 
first  expedition,  you  shall  choose." 

"Oh,  no,  Grace;  please!  I  don't  know. 
I  cannot.  I'll  go  wherever  you  go,  that's 
all ! " 

The  Scapegoat  meditated.  " On  the  whole," 
she  announced,  "  soda  seems  to  be  the  thing. 
We'll  go  and  have  some  soda,  Innocent." 

"  Go  down-town  ?  "  gasped  Peggy. 

"  Yes  ;  why  not  ?  Only  to  Mrs.  Button's. 
You  know  she  is  the  college  grandmother ; 


150  PEGGY. 

why  shouldn't  she  be  ours.?  Many's  the 
time  Granny  Button  has  sheltered  me  from 
the  wrath  to  come.  Besides,  I  have  had  no 
marshmallows  for  a  week.  A  vow,  a  vow ! 
I  have  a  vow  in  heaven  to  have  marsh- 
mallows  once  a  week,  merely  for  the  honour 
of  the  school." 

Granny  Button,  as  she  was  called,  kept 
a  neat  little  shop  at  the  corner  of  the  High 
Street.  Here  she  dispensed  soda-water,  candy, 
and  cakes  to  the  students  of  school  and  col 
lege.  She  was  a  little  old  woman,  with  a  face 
like  a  dry  but  still  sound  winter  apple,  and 
she  shook  her  head  reprovingly  as  the  two 
girls  entered. 

"Now,  Miss  Wolfe!"  she  said.  "You 
hadn't  ought  to  come  here  at  this  time, 
now  you  hadn't,  my  dear.  What  do  you 
want  ?  I  declare,  I've  most  of  a  mind  not 
to  give  it  to  you,  for  a  wild  slip  as  you  are. 
What  would  Miss  Russell  say  if  she  should 
come  in  this  blessed  minute,  Miss  Grace?" 

"  Ah,  but  she  won't,  granny  !  "  said  Grace, 
coolly.  "  She's  gone  to  a  lecture,  you  see,  so 
it  is  all  right,  truly  it  is. 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  151 

"  I  saw  her  go ;  one  horse  was  blind, 
The  tails  of  both  hung  down  behind, 
Their  shoes  were  on  their  feet. 

"  I  got  so  exhausted  studying,  I  feared  the 
vital  spark  might  become  extinguished,  might 
pop  out,  granny,  if  I  didn't  have  some  soda. 
Two  pineapple  creams,  please,  and  be  quick 
about  it.  I'll  be  getting  the  marshinallows 
while  you  pour  it." 

The  old  woman  filled  the  long  glasses, 
shaking  her  head  all  the  time,  and  mutter 
ing  about  naughty  girls  and  dark  closets. 

Peggy  drank  the  soda,  but  it  did  not  taste 
very  good,  and  her  hand  trembled  as  she  held 
the  glass.  Her  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  door, 
and  every  moment  she  expected  to  see  it  open, 
and  Miss  Russell  or  one  of  the  teachers  enter. 
But  no  one  came.  Grace  found  the  marsh- 
mallows,  and  in  high  spirits  brought  them  to 
Mrs.  Button  to  count  and  tie  up  for  her. 

"  Granny,  you  look  lovely  to-night ! "  she 
said.  "  Don't  try  to  look  cross,  Granny  But 
ton,  for  you  don't  know  how.  Smile  on  me, 
lovely  one,  for  we  must  kiss  and  part." 

"  Indeed,  then,  we'd,  better,  Miss  Grace/' 


152  PEGGY. 

cried  the  good  woman ;  "  and  don't  let  me  see 
you  here  again  this  long  while,  save  and  ex 
cept  at  proper  hours.  I  know  well  enough 
I  ought  to  tell  that  good  lady  of  all  the  times 
you've  been  here  out  of  hours.  Yes,  dear,  I 
know  it  well  enough,,  and  sometimes  it  makes 
me  uneasy  in  my  bed.  But  you  have  the 
beguiling  of  the  serpent  himself,  Grace  Wolfe, 
and  you  know  it,  and  that's  the  worst." 

"  Isn't  it  ?  "  said  Grace,  pensively ;  and  her 
large  eyes  were  full  of  tender  gravity,  as  she 
fixed  them  on  the  old  woman. 

"  I'll  add  serpent  to  my  menagerie,  and 
thank  you,  granny  !  Nobody  ever  called  you 
serpent,  did  they,  dear  ?  Wait  till  you  come 
to  my  time  in  life,  and  you'll  know  what  it  is 
to  suffer. 

"  Well,  Innocent,  shall  we  come  ?  After 
all,  it  is  hard  to  stay  where  one  isn't  wanted, 
and  the  only  trouble  with  Granny  Button  is 
that  she  has  no  heart." 

"  Yes,  go,  dear !  "  said  the  old  woman  to 
Peggy,  eagerly.  "  Go  right  along  home  now, 
and  don't  let  Miss  Grace  bring  ye  out  again, 
as  she's  a  naughty  girl,  and  so  I  always  tell 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  153 

her,  though  I  never  can  say  no  to  her,  and 
that's  the  truth.  Bat  you  are  different,  dear, 
and  a  freshman,  I'll  be  bound  ;  and  don't  let 
me  see  ye  here  again  without  leave  or  license, 
let  alone  the  hour  as  is  getting  on  for  '  lights 
out.'  " 

"  Fare  thee  well,  my  first  and  fairest !  "  said 
Grace,  kissing  her  hand  at  the  door.  "  Till 
our  next  meeting  !  " 

It  was  only  a  few  steps  back  from  the  turn 
into  the  High  Street.  Peggy's  pulse  began  to 
beat  more  naturally ;  in  a  moment,  now,  they 
would  be  back,  safe  back,  and  she  would 
never  do  it  again,  no  matter  what  Grace 
thought  of  her.  Fun  was  fun,  but  it  was 
not  worth  this ;  and  what  would  Margaret 
say  ? 

Coming  up  from  the  High  Street,  they 
skirted  a  field  that  lay  like  waving  silver 
in  the  moonlight.  Nothing  would  do  but 
that  Grace  must  have  a  run  through  this 
field ;  she  declared  that  it  was  her  favourite 
spot  in  the  world. 

"After  all,  soda  and  marshmallows  are 
carnal !  "  she  insisted.  "  Our  bodies  are  fed, 


154 


PEGGY. 


Innocent,  our  souls  starve  for  want  of  poetry. 
There  is  poetry  in  all  that  silver  waving.  I 
must!  I  must  prance,  or  I  shall  not  rest  in 
my  bed.  Come  along  !  " 

And  she  went  flitting  about  through  the 
long  grass,  hither  and  thither  like  a  will-o'- 
the-wisp,  her  long  hair  floating  around  her, 
her  arms  waving  in  gestures  sometimes  fan 
tastic,  but  always  graceful.  Peggy  could  think 
of  nothing  but  her  cousin  Rita,  as  she  used  to 
dance  in  the  old  days  at  Fernley.  What 
a  pair  she  and  Grace  would  make !  What  a 
mercy  they  had  never  come  together.  More 
over,  her  heart,  the  heart  of  a  farmer's 
daughter,  smote  her  at  the  treading  down  of 
the  grass.  She  stood  at  the  edge  of  the  field, 
now  and  then  calling  to  her  companion  and 
urging  her  to  come  home,  but  for  the  most 
part  simply  watching  her  in  mingled  terror 
and  admiration. 

At  length  the  wild  spirit  was  satisfied,  and 
Grace  came  flying  back,  radiant  and  breath 
less. 

"  That  was  glorious  !  "  she  said.  "  Poor 
little  Innocent,  you  haven't  much  soul,  have 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  155 

you?     Still,  I  love  you.     Come,  we  will  ge 
back  to  the  shades." 

They  neared  the  gate  ;  as  they  did  so,  they 
heard  voices  and  the  sound  of  approaching 
footsteps.  Grace  paused  for  a  moment ;  then 
held  up  her  hand  with  a  warning  gesture. 
Peggy  felt  her  heart  turn  cold;  it  was  com 
ing  !  one  of  the  voices  was  that  of  Miss  Rus 
sell.  It  was  impossible  for  them  to  escape 
being  seen.  The  broad  stretch  of  the  lawn 
lay  between  them  and  safety,  and  the  relent 
less  moonlight  lay  full  upon  the  hedge  which 
had  lain  in  shadow  when  they  came  out. 
Peggy  braced  herself  to  meet  the  shock ;  but 
Grace  laid  a  hand  on  her  arm,  and  then  made 
a  gesture.  A  great  tree  stood  just  by  the 
gate  of  Pentland  School ;  a  chestnut-tree, 
with  low-jutting,  wide-spreading  branches. 
With  the  swift  movement  of  some  woodland 
creature,  Grace  Wolfe  swung  herself  up  to 
the  lowest  branch,  and  motioned  Peggy  to 
follow  ;  Peggy  was  a  good  climber,  too  ;  more 
slowly,  but  with  equal  agility,  she  gained  the 
branch;  then  softly,  slowly,  both  girls  crept 
along,  inward  and  upward,  till  a  thick 


156 


PEGGY. 


screen  of  leaves  hid  them  completely  from 
sight. 

Two  ladies  came  around  the  turn,  and 
paused  a  moment  at  the  gate,  —  Miss  Russell 
and  Miss  Cortlandt.  They  stood  directly 
under  the  chestnut-tree ;  Peggy  could  have 
dropped  a  nut  down  exactly  on  the  crown  of 
Miss  Russell's  bonnet ;  she  never  knew  how 
near  Grace  came  to  doing  so,  nor  how  hard  it 
was  to  refrain  for  her,  Peggy's,  sake. 

"  I  hope  not !  "  said  Miss  Russell.  "  I  do 
most  earnestly  hope  not." 

"I  am  afraid  there  is  little  doubt  of 
it !  "  replied  Miss  Cortlandt.  "  Miss  Pugsley 
seemed  quite  positive ;  I  know  she  means  to 
bring  it  up  at  Faculty  Meeting  to-morrow 
night." 

Miss  Russell  sighed.  "  Then  it  will  not  be 
done  in  the  wisest  manner !  "  she  said.  "  I 
can  say  this  to  you,  Emily,  for  you  under 
stand  her  as  well  as  I  do.  I  had  hoped,"  she 
continued,  "  that  the  whole  business  would  be 
over  when  Wilhelmina  Lightwood  —  well,  I 
suppose  she  will  always  be  '  Billy,'  even  to 
me  —  when  Billy  went  away.  I  put  Peggy 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  157 

Montfort  there,  because  she  seemed  such  an 
honest,  steady,  sensible  kind  of  girl.  I 
thought  I  could  trust  Peggy  Montfort." 

"  I  think  you  can  !  "  said  Miss  Cortlandt. 
"  I  don't  believe  Peggy  has  had  any  share  in 
the  Sittings.  But  I  do  think  it  might  per 
haps  have  been  better  to  tell  her  all  about  it, 
and  put  her  on  her  guard.  Being  a  new  girl, 
she  might  not  feel  at  liberty  to  stop  the  older 
ones  when  they  came ;  and  she  could  not  tell 
of  it.  You  see,  Miss  Russell,  it  is  such  a 
little  time  since  I  was  a  '  girl '  myself,  that  I 
haven't  got  away  from  their  point  of  view  yet." 

"  I  hope  you  never  will,  my  dear !  "  said 
Miss  Russell,  warmly.  "  It  is  when  I  get  too 
far  away  from  that  point  of  view  myself  that 
I  make  mistakes.  Yes,  I  ought  to  have  put 
the  child  on  her  guard  ;  I'll  do  so  to-morrow." 

She  looked  over  toward  the  school,  and 
sighed  again. 

"  Broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruc 
tion  !  "  she  said.  "  It  was  Grace  who  gave  it 
the  name,  of  course.  Poor  Grace  !  " 

"  Poor  Grace  !  "  echoed  Miss  Cortlandt ;  and 
then  the  two  passed  on. 


158  PEGGY. 

They  were  two  very  silent  girls  who 
crossed  the  lawn  five  minutes  later.  Grace 
Wolfe  held  her  head  high,  and  walked  with 
her  usual  airy  grace ;  her  face  was  grave,  but 
perhaps  no  graver  than  usual.  Still,  she  did 
not  speak;  as  for  Peggy,  she  was  too  bowed 
down  with  shame  and  wretchedness  to  think 
even  of  her  companion.  She  had  been 
trusted ;  and  she  had  betrayed  the  trust. 
There  seemed  nothing  in  the  whole  world 
but  that. 

They  parted  outside  Peggy's  window. 
Grace  was  going  up  a  story  higher  on  the 
fire-escape,  Peggy  did  not  think  nor  ask 
where. 

No  word  was  spoken ;  only,  Grace  laid  her 
hand  on  Peggy's  shoulder  and  looked  in  her 
face  for  a  moment.  Peggy  could  not  speak, 
could  only  shake  her  head.  A  single  sob 
broke  from  her  lips ;  then  she  hurried  in, 
and  closed  the  window  behind  her. 

Then  Grace  Wolfe  did  a  singular  thing. 
Standing  on  the  iron  step,  she  took  from  her 
pocket  the  packet  of  marshmallows,  and 
deliberately  scattered  them  over  the  lawn, 


BY    MOONLIGHT.  159 

throwing  each   one  as  far  as  her  arm   could 
reach. 

"  For  the  frogs ! "  she  explained,  aloud. 
"  With  the  compliments  of  the  Goat,  the 
Wolf,  and  the  Serpent,  —  to  which  is  now 
added  the  Beast  which  Perishes ! " 


CHAPTER  IX. 

FACULTY  MEETING  AND  BEDLAM. 

"  HAVE  you  proof  of  this,  Miss  Pugsley  ?  " 
"  I  am  perfectly  sure  of  it,  Miss  Russell !  " 
"  Yes ;  I  am  sure  you  would  be,  before  you 
spoke  of  it;    but   have  you  the  proof?     Of 
course,  before  taking  any  such  serious  step  as 
you  propose,  I  should,   in  justice  to  all,  be 
obliged  to  ask  for  positive  proof." 

"  Proof !  "  cried  Miss  Pugsley,  in  some  ex 
citement.  "  Proof  enough  !  Look  at  my  bon 
net,  Miss  Russell.  Oblige  me  by  smelling  of 
it.  I  can  never  wear  it  again,  never  !  I  tell 
you,  brandy  has  been  poured  over  it.  Here 
are  the  slippers !  "  She  produced  a  pair  of 
slippers  which  were  certainly  in  a  sad  condi 
tion.  "They  were  nailed  —  nailed  with  ten- 
penny  nails,  to  the  floor  of  my  closet ;  they 
are  totally  ruined.  Look  —  I  ask  you  all, 
ladies,  to  look  at  my  hand-glass  !  "  She  held 


160 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       161 

up  the  glass;  and  at  the  sight  Emily  Cort- 
landt  had  one  of  those  violent  fits  of  coughing 
that  often  troubled  her ;  this  one  was  so  bad 
that  she  was  obliged  to  leave  the  room  for  a 
moment.  The  worst  of  it  was  that  one  or 
two  of  the  other  teachers  seemed  to  have 
caught  the  infection,  for  there  was  a  regular 
outbreak  of  coughing  and  choking,  which  only 
a  severe  glance  from  Miss  Russell  checked. 

Somebody  had  painted  a  face  on  the  little 
mirror.  It  covered  the  whole  surface ;  the 
face  of  a  monkey,  with  grinning  mouth,  and 
twinkling,  malicious  eyes;  it  had  an  un 
doubted  resemblance  to  Miss  Pugsley.  As 
she  held  it  up  with  a  tragic  gesture,  the  effect 
was  so  absurd  that  even  Miss  Russell  might 
have  wished  that  she  could  —  cough  ! 

"It  lay  on  my  dressing-table,  face  down 
ward,"  Miss  Pugsley  went  on.  "  I  had  just 
done  my  hair  for  tea,  —  I  am  scrupulous  in 
such  matters,  —  and  took  up  the  glass  to  see 
that  my  pug  was  straight  behind.  I  looked  — 
and  saw  this.  Ladies,  I  could  have  fainted  on 
the  floor.  My  nerves  being  what  they  are,  it 
is  a  marvel  that  I  did  not." 


162 


PEGGY. 


"  I  am  very,  very  sorry,  Miss  Pugsley,"  said 
Miss  Russell,  gravely.  "  If  I  knew  who  had 
done  this  —  " 

"  But  I  tell  you  I  do  know,  Miss  Russell !  " 
cried  Miss  Pugsley,  vindictively.  "  I  tell  you 
that  there  is  only  one  girl  in  the  school  who 
is  capable  of  all  this,  and  that  girl  is  Grace 
Wolfe  !  " 

There  was  a  moment's  silence. 
"  Have  you  found  Grace  in  your  room  at 
any   time,    Miss   Pugsley?"   demanded   Miss 
Russell. 

No,  Miss  Pugsley  had  not,  but  that  made 
no  difference.  Grace  had  done  the  things, 
there  was  no  shadow  of  a  doubt  of  it. 

"  Have  you  been  careful  to  lock  your  door 
when  you  left  the  room  ?  " 

"Miss  Russell,  you  know  that  locks  and 
bolts  make  no  possible  difference  to  Grace 
Wolfe.  The  girl  is  cut  out  for  a  male 
factor.  I  prophesy  that  she  will  be  in 
State's  prison  before  she  has  been  out  of 
school  a  year." 

"I  must  request  you  not  to  speak  in  this 
way  of  any  of  my  young  ladies,"  said  the 


FACULTY    MEETING   AND    BEDLAM.       163 

Principal,  sternly,  "  You  have  been  the  vic 
tim  of  some  very  malicious  practical  jokes, 
Miss  Pugsley.  I  shall  look  into  the  matter 
thoroughly,  and  shall  do  my  best  to  discover 
the  offender,  and  shall  punish  her  —  or  them 
—  as  I  think  best."  She  laid  a  slight  empha 
sis  on  the  last  words. 

"  Then  you  refuse  to  expel  Grace  Wolfe  ?  " 
said  Miss  Pugsley,  quivering  with  anger. 

"  On  such  evidence  as  you  have  brought 
forward  to-night?  certainly,"  said  Miss  Rus 
sell,  with  some  severity.  "  I  have  no  proof 
whatever  that  Miss  Wolfe  played  any  of  these 
pranks,  though  I  admit  it  is  probable  that  she 
may  have  done  so.  You  found  the  bandbox 
outside  your  door,  where  Bridget  admits  she 
left  it  several  days  before.  You  left  your 
door  unlocked  on  a  rainy  half-holiday,  when 
sixty  or  more  girls  were  constantly  passing 
and  repassing ;  there  are  half  a  dozen  girls, 
I  am  sorry  to  say,  who  might  have  been 
tempted  by  the  open  door  to  play  some  prank 
of  the  kind  which  seems  so  clever  to  children, 
and  so  silly  to  older  people." 

Why  did  Miss  Russell  look  toward  the  win- 


164  PEGGY. 

dow  as  she  spoke  ?  But  now  she  was  looking 
at  Miss  Pugsley  again. 

"  You  and  Grace  are  not  friends,  I  know, 
Miss  Pugsley/'  she  went  on.  "  I  am  sorry  for 
it,  for  I  think  all  the  rest  of  us  feel  how  much 
that  is  fine  and  noble  might  —  may  still  be 
brought  out  of  that  untamed  spirit.  She  has 
never  known  a  mother,  remember.  The  name 
of  the  Scapegoat,  which  she  has  given  herself, 
may,  I  sometimes  think,  reflect  blame  on  the 
rest  of  us  as  well  as  on  her.  It  is  true  that, 
whatever  mischief  is  afoot,  it  is  sure  to  be 
laid  at  Grace's  door.  This  is  mainly  her  own 
fault,  of  course  —  " 

"  I  should  think  so  !  "  snorted  Miss  Pugsley. 

"  But  not  entirely,"  the  Principal  went  on. 
"  There  are  other  mischievous  girls  in  the 
school.  I  should  like  to  know  how  Grace 
has  been  doing  this  month  in  her  various 
classes,"  she  added,  turning  to  the  other 
teachers. 

On  this  point  the  testimony  was  unanimous. 
Grace  Wolfe  led  many  of  the  classes ;  she  was 
well  up  in  all,  and  had  passed  her  examina 
tions  in  a  way  that  did  credit  both  to  her  in- 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       165 

telligence  and  her  industry.  Thus  testified 
every  teacher,  except  the  small  brown  mouse 
who  taught  drawing  in  Pentland  School. 
This  mouse,  Miss  Mink  by  name,  had  crept 
away  silently,  and  left  the  room,  after  one 
glance  at  the  hand-glass ;  she  knew  that  but 
one  hand  in  the  school  could  have  drawn  that 
monkey,  and  though  her  heart  swelled  with 
pride,  she  feared  for  her  darling  pupil. 

There  was  a  pause  after  the  teachers  had 
given  their  testimony ;  then  Miss  Pugsley 
returned  to  the  attack. 

"  I  certainly  hope  justice  will  be  done,  Miss 
Kussell,"  she  said,  with  a  smile  of  sweetened 
vinegar.  "  It  would  be  a  great  pity,  wouldn't 
it,  if  the  school  got  the  reputation  —  he  !  he  ! 
—  of  injustice  and  favouritism  ?  " 

"  It  would,"  said  the  Principal,  gravely. 

"But  there  is  another  matter  that  I  feel 
bound  to  speak  of  before  we  separate,"  Miss 
Pugsley  went  on.  "  Are  you  aware  that  room 
No.  18,  in  corridor  A,  the  room  formerly  oc 
cupied  by  Miss  Lightwood,  is  again  being  used 
as  a  place  of  exit  for  parties  of  students  going 
on  lawless  expeditions  ?  " 


166  PEGGY. 

The  Principal  looked  at  her  steadily. 

"  I  fear  that  is  true/'  said  one  of  the  other 
teachers.  "I  had  meant  to  speak  to  you 
before  about  it,  Miss  Russell,  but  waited  till 
to-night." 

"  Of  course  it  makes  no  possible  difference 
to  me  !  "  cried  Miss  Pugsley.  "  It  is  not  my 
corridor,  and  I  have  no  authority  there ;  but 
as  long  as  one  is  in  the  school,  of  course  one 
must  consider  the  honour  of  it,  you  know,  and 
I  am  glad  some  one  else  is  here  to  bear  me 
out  in  this  complaint." 

The  Principal  still  looked  at  Miss  Pugsley ; 
teachers  who  had  been  long  in  the  school  were 
glad  that  she  was  not  looking  at  them  in  that 
way. 

"I  have  heard  of  this  matter  before,"  Miss 
Russell  said,  at  last.  "  I  am  going  to  devote 
my  own  time  to  investigating  it,  and  think  I 
shall  need  no  help ;  though  I  thank  you,"  it 
was  to  Miss  Ivors  that  she  spoke,  "  for  bring 
ing  it  to  my  notice,  as  it  was  right  for  you  to 
do.  I  think  I  need  not  detain  you  longer, 
ladies." 

When  the  teachers  were  gone,  Miss  Russell 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       167 

stepped  to  the  window  and  said,  softly, 
"  Grace !  " 

There  was  no  reply.  An  owl  hooted  in  the 
distance ;  a  bird  chirped  somewhere  near  by. 
That  was  all. 

"  Grace  !  "  said  the  Principal  again.  "  If 
you  are  there,  I  wish  you  would  come  in  and 
let  me  speak  to  you." 

Still  no  reply.  After  waiting  a  moment, 
the  Principal  closed  the  window  with  a  sigh. 
On  leaving  the  room  she  paused  a  moment  to 
look  at  the  photograph  of  a  lovely  young 
woman,  in  the  dress  of  twenty  years  ago, 
which  stood  on  her  desk. 

"Dear  Edith!"  said  Miss  Russell.  "My 
first  pupil !  I'll  keep  your  girl  for  you,  Edith, 
if  I  can !  " 

Was  Grace  Wolfe  outside  the  window  when 
the  Principal  called  her  ?  Who  can  tell  ?  It 
is  certain  that  ten  minutes  after  she  was  at 
the  supper  in  Bedlam. 

The  tenant  of  Bedlam,  Miss  Cornelia  Hatch 
(familiarly  known  as  Colney  Hatch,  in  re 
membrance  of  the  famous  English  Insane 


168  PEGGY. 

Asylum),  was  not  actually  mad,  though  many 
of  the  scholars  thought  her  so.     She  was  a 
special  student  of  natural  history,  botany,  and 
zoology ;  she  was  absent-minded  and  forgetful 
to  the  last  degree.     When  she  came  into  class, 
she  often  had  to  be  brought  there,  some  good- 
natured  classmate  dragging  her  away  by  main 
force  from  her  private  experiments.     If  she 
did  remember  to  come  of  her  own  accord,  she 
was  apt  to  have  a  half-completed  articulation 
hanging  around  her  neck,  or  a  dried  frog  skin 
stuck  behind  her  ear  for  safe-keeping.     Her 
hair  was  generally  untidy,  owing  to  this  habit 
of  sticking  things  in  it  while  she  worked  ;  you 
never  could  tell  what  it  would  be,  vertebrae, 
or    seaweed,    or    pine-cones,    but    you   could 
safely    reckon   on   finding    something   extra 
neous  in  Colney's  ruffled  black  hair.     As  for 
her  clothes,  she  was  usually  enveloped  in  a 
huge  brown  gingham  apron,  with  many  pock 
ets,  which  held  snakes,  or  eggs,  or  roots,  or 
anything  else  that  would  not  go  comfortably 
in   her  hair.     When  the   apron   became   too 
dirty  (she  had  had  two  at  the  beginning  of 
the  term,  but  one  had  been  destroyed  in  an 


FACULTY    MEETING   AND    BEDLAM.       169 

explosion),  Miss  Carey  took  it  away  and 
washed  it,  while  Colney  went  around  looking 
scared  and  miserable  in  a  queer  flannel  gown 
of  a  pinkish  shade.  Report  said  it  had  once 
been  brown,  but  that  the  colour  had  been 
changed  by  the  fumes  of  something  or  other, 
no  one  knew  what.  Sometimes  she  had  but 
tons  on  frock  and  apron,  more  often  not. 
Periodically,  Miss  Carey  or  the  Owls  de 
scended  upon  her,  and  sewed  on  her  buttons 
and  mended  her  up  generally;  and  she  was 
very  grateful,  and  said  how  nice  it  was  to 
have  buttons.  But  she  soon  pulled  them  off 
again,  because  she  never  had  time  to  do  any 
thing  but  tear  her  clothes  off  when  she  went 
to  bed,  and  drag  them  on  again  when  she  got 
up.  When  a  button  flew  off,  she  pinned  the 
place  over,  if  a  pin  was  in  sight ;  if  not,  she 
went  without;  it  made  no  difference  to  her, 
and  she  was  not  conscious  of  it  in  five  minutes. 
Miss  Russell,  and  most  of  the  teachers,  were 
very  tender  with  Colney.  She  was  poor,  and 
meant  to  work  her  way  through  college  ;  even 
now  she  paid  part  of  her  schooling  by  stuffing 
birds  and  setting  up  skeletons  for  one  of  the 


170  PEGGY. 

college  professors.  If  she  did  not  kill  herself 
or  somebody  else  before  she  graduated,  Miss 
Russell  looked  forward  to  a  distinguished 
career  for  the  tenant  of  Bedlam  ;  so,  as  I  have 
said,  she  was  tender  and  patient  with  her; 
and  good  Miss  Carey  mended  her  when  she 
could,  and  saw  that  she  remembered  to  eat 
her  dinner,  and  Miss  Boyle  and  Miss  Mink 
rejoiced  over  her,  and  Miss  Cortlandt  led  her 
gently  through  English  literature,  giving  her 
Walton  and  Bacon  and  all  the  scientific  men 
of  letters  that  she  could  find.  Only  one  teacher 
failed  to  do  her  best  to  smooth  poor  Colney's 
path  through  school ;  that  was  Miss  Pugsley. 
Rhetoric  was  simply  an  empty  noise  to  the 
girl.  She  never  by  any  chance  knew  a  les 
son,  and  Miss  Pugsley  lashed  her  with  so  cruel 
a  tongue  that  Peggy  used  to  ache  and  smart 
for  her  as  well  as  for  herself,  and  would  get 
hold  of  Colney's  hand  and  hold  it  and  squeeze 
it,  growing  red  the  while  with  pity  and  anger. 
But  Colney  never  noticed  it  half  as  much  as 
Peggy  did;  she  used  to  look  at  the  angry 
teacher  for  a  few  minutes  in  an  abstracted 
kind  of  way,  and  then  retire  within  herself 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       171 

and  make  imaginary  experiments.  This  was 
what  happened  on  the  dreadful  day  when 
Miss  Pugsley  said  : 

"  The  subject  of  this  sentence  is  /.  How 
do  we  go  to  work  to  form  the  predicate,  Miss 
Hatch  ? " 

Cornelia  started,  but  replied,  instantly : 

"  By  mixing  one  part  hydrogen  with  three 
parts  —  " 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  Miss  Pugsley,  with  ominous 
calm.  "  And  what  happens  next,  pray  ?  " 

"  It  turns  green,  and  explodes  with  a  loud 
report." 

And  this  was  exactly  what  did  happen. 
Poor  Colney ! 

Peggy  Montfort  did  not  form  one  of  the 
party  in  Bedlam  that  night.  The  room  lay 
at  the  extreme  end  of  the  corridor,  round  a 
corner,  so  that  it  was  in  a  manner  shut  off 
from  the  rest  of  the  wing.  It  was  an  extraor 
dinary  place.  Stretched  on  the  walls,  dried 
or  drying,  were  specimens  of  every  possible 
variety,  —  bats,  frogs,  snake  skins,  bird  skins. 
Along  the  mantelpiece  were  jars  and  bottles, 
all  containing  other  specimens  preserved  in 


172  PEGGY. 

spirits.  In  one  corner  stood  part  of  a  human 
skeleton.  It  stood  on  one  leg,  with  a  jaunty 
air,  having  indeed  but  one  leg  to  stand  on ; 
both  arms  were  wanting,  but  the  skull,  which 
was  a  very  fine  one,  made  up  for  much.  On 
account  of  this  fragmentary  skeleton,  few  of 
the  younger  girls  ever  dared  to  enter  Bedlam, 
and  some  of  them  would  run  past  the  door 
with  face  averted,  and  beating  heart,  fearing 
lest  the  door  should  be  open  and  they  should 
catch  a  glimpse  of  the  gruesome  thing.  But 
this  object  was  the  pride  of  Colney's  heart. 
She  could  not,  of  course,  afford  to  buy  a  whole 
skeleton,  so  she  was  collecting  one,  bit  by  bit ; 
even  Peggy  had  been  quite  uncomfortable  one 
day,  when  Colney  had  told  her,  hanging  over 
each  bone  with  delight,  where  and  how  she 
had  come  by  each  one.  It  was  always  hon 
estly,  one  could  be  sure  of  that. 

Everywhere  in  the  room,  underfoot  and 
overhead,  were  setting-boards  and  pill -boxes, 
blowpipes  and  crucibles.  One  could  not  move 
without  upsetting  something ;  and  yet  it  was 
here  that  the  Gang  came  to  have  its  annual 
supper. 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       173 

Colney  Hatch  was  dissecting  a  mouse. 
She  was  perfectly  happy,  and  oblivious  of 
the  world,  when  the  door  opened,  and  in 
came  fluttering  the  wild  spirits  of  the  junior 
and  sophomore  classes.  Last  year  the  sopho 
mores  had  been  freshmen,  and  must  not  know 
anything  about  the  Gang,  save  in  wondering 
envious  whispers  and  surmises.  Next  year 
the  juniors  would  be  seniors,  and  they  too 
must  forget  that  such  a  thing  as  the  Gang 
had  been,  and  think  only  of  dramatics,  exam 
inations,  and  graduation.  Such  had  been  the 
unwritten  law  at  Miss  Russell's,  since  time  was. 

Here  were  Vanity  and  Vexation  of  Spirit, 
one  smiling  and  dimpling,  the  other  with  her 
usual  air  of  blase  superiority.  Here  was 
Blanche  Haight,  the  leader  among  the  soph 
omores  ;  here  were  six  or  eight  girls,  in  fact, 
chosen  from  the  two  classes  for  the  same 
characteristics,  lawlessness  and  love  of  fun ; 
last  but  not  least,  here  was  Grace  Wolfe,  the 
acknowledged  leader  and  queen  of  the  Gang, 
when  she  deigned  to  be  so. 

Grace  was  in  her  wildest  mood  to-night. 
She  danced  solemnly  around  poor  Colney, 


174  PEGGY. 

who  looked  up  in  dismay  from  her  mouse  as 
the  silent  crowd  came  pouring  in,  and  assured 
her  that  her  last  hour  was  come. 

"We  are  the  Secret  Tribunal!"  she  cried. 
"We  have  come  to  make  a  pile  of  all  your 
rubbish,  Colney,  and  burn  it,  with  you  on 
top,  like  the  Phoenix.  I  am  sure  you  would 
come  up  out  of  the  ashes,  if  we  left  the  mouse 
out  for  you  to  finish." 

"Oh,  do  be  careful,  please,  Goat!"  cried 
Colney  Hatch.  "Don't  sit  down  on  that 
frog,  he  isn't  dry!  Dear  me!  do  you  —  do 
want  anything,  girls  ?  " 

"  We  want  your  room,  my  love ;  and  your 
company !  "  replied  Grace.  "  Yet  we  are  merci 
ful.  Here !  " 

She  twirled  Cornelia's  chair  around,  and  set 
her  with  her  face  to  the  wall ;  then  moved 
the  lamp  so  that  its  light  fell  on  the  board  in 
her  lap. 

"  There  !  "  she  said.  "  Finish  him,  poor  old 
dear,  and  we'll  wake  you  up  when  supper's 
ready.  Now  then  !  who's  brought  what  ?  " 

Then,  from  pockets,  from  surplice  folds, 
from  shawls  and  cloaks  hung  carelessly  over 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       175 

the  arm,  came  forth  a  strange  array  of  ar 
ticles.  One  had  brought  a  chicken,  one  a 
cake.  Here  was  a  Dutch  cheese,  a  tin  of 
crackers,  a  bottle  of  coffee,  a  bottle  of  olives, 
and  a  box  of  sardines.  Grace  herself  told  in 
high  glee  how  she  had  met  one  of  the  teachers 
in  the  corridor,  and  had  stood  for  five  minutes 
talking  about  the  next  day's  lesson.  "  And 
with  this  under  me  cloak  the  while  ! "  and 
with  a  dramatic  gesture  she  produced  and 
held  out  a  dish  of  lobster  salad. 

"If  it  Jiad  been  potato,"  she  declared,  "I 
had  been  lost ;  the  onion  had  betrayed  me. 
Blessings  on  the  bland,  the  seductive  mayon 
naise,  which- veiled  the  ardent  lobster  and  his 
smell.  She  did  smell  it,  however,  and  said, 
so  cheerfully,  poor  dear,  that  Miss  Carey  was 
evidently  going  to  give  us  a  surprise  to-mor 
row,  for  she  smelt  lobster.  It  was  Miss  Cort- 
landt,  too ;  I  did  want  to  say,  '  Oh,  come 
along,  and  have  some  ! '  She  is  a  rectangular 
fragment  of  baked  clay,  used  for  building 
purposes,  Miss  Cortlandt  is." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Goat  ?  "  asked  some 
one. 


176  PEGGY. 

"  I  never  use  slang,  as  you  know  !  "  replied 
Grace,  gravely.  "  It  argues  a  poverty  of  in 
tellect,  as  well  as  a  small  vocabulary.  I 
suppose  you  would  have  said  she  was  a  brick, 
my  child." 

"  Oh,  Goat,  how  funny  you  are  ! "  giggled 
the  girls. 

"  Not  at  all,  I  assure  you,"  said  Grace, 
unmoved.  "  But  I  pray  you  fall  to !  Have 
some  salad,  Vanity  ?  yes,  I'll  take  a  wing, 
thank  you." 

"  Isn't  this  perf'ly  fine  ?  "  cried  Viola  Vin 
cent.  They  were  all  seated  by  this  time, 
some  on  the  floor,  others  wherever  they  could 
find  a  few  inches  of  spare  room,  and  were 
dispensing  the  viands  with  reckless  liberality. 
"  I  say !  I  wish  we  had  these  every  week, 
instead  of  only  once  a  year.  Why,  it's  just 
as  easy !  Oh,  what  an  elegant  cream  pie ! 
Give  me  some  !  " 

"  No  !  "  said  Grace  Wolfe,  with  emphasis. 

"  Why  not  ?     What's  the  matter,  Goat  ?  " 

"  I  will  not  have  pies  called  elegant  while 
I  am  leader  of  this  Gang,"  said  Grace.  "  Take 
my  life,  if  you  will,  but  spare  my  feelings  !  " 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       177 

"All  right,"  said  Viola,  cheerily.  "Your 
own  way,  Goat.  I'd  just  as  lief  call  it  dandy, 
and  it  is  dandy,  you  can't  deny  that." 

"  Perhaps  the  Goat  is  thinking  of  succeed 
ing  her  Puggy  in  the  rhetoric  chair!"  said 
Blanche  Haight,  with  a  sneer. 

"  Perhaps  I  am  thinking  of  stopping  your 

"began  Grace;   but  she  checked  herself, 

and  turned  away  abruptly. 

"  Look  at  Colney !  "  said  Vivia  Yarnham. 
"  Isn't  she  too  perfectly  killing  ?  She  doesn't 
know  we  are  here,  I  believe.  Look  at  her 
hair,  girls!  It  gets  more  ratty,  not  to  say 
woozzy,  every  day.  I  wonder  when  she 
brushed  it  last." 

"  Possibly  when  you  brushed  your  man 
ners,"  said  the  Scapegoat.  "Colney  is  our 
hostess,  I  beg  to  remind  you.  And  nobody 
giving  her  a  bite  of  supper !  " 

She  rose  from  the  floor,  piled  a  plate  with 
good  things,  and  went  over  to  the  corner 
where  Colney  Hatch  was  bending  over  her 
mouse,  conscious  of  nothing  else. 

"  Here,  Colney  ;  here's  your  supper." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  Grace,"  said  Colney,  look- 


178 


PEGGY. 


ing  up  for  a  moment.      "But  I  can't,  you 
know.     Both  my  hands  are  full,  you  see." 

"  Then  open  your  mouth,"  commanded  the 
Scapegoat,  in  tones  of  authority. 

Colney  obeyed  meekly,  and  Grace  stood 
over  her,  feeding  her  like  a  baby  with  the 
choicest  morsels,  and  now  and  then  casting 
a  glance  over  her  shoulder  at  the  others. 
Grace's  gaiety  was  fitful  to-night,  certainly. 
When  she  first  came  in  she  had  been  the  life 
of  the  party ;  now,  as  she  stood  there  in  the 
corner,  her  brow  was  overcast,  her  eyes 
gloomy.  What  ailed  the  Lone  Wolf  ? 

What  were  they  saying  over  there  ?  They, 
at  least,  were  at  the  very  height  of  glee, 
breaking  into  gusts  of  giggling,  into  whisper 
ings  ending  in  squeaks  and  smothered  screams. 

"To-morrow  night?  Hurrah!  Through 
Broadway,  of  course." 

"  Freshy  ?  Oh,  Freshy  won't  say  anything. 
She  wouldn't  dare  to,  in  the  first  place." 

"She'd  dare  fast  enough,"  said  Viola. 
"She  isn't  afraid  of  anything,  Freshy  isn't. 
But  she's  safe,  she  won't  say  anything." 

"What's  all  this?"  demanded  the  Scape- 


FACULTY    MEETING   AND    BEDLAM.       179 

goat,  coming  back  with  the  empty  plate. 
"  Plans  ?  Does  one  hear  them  ?  " 

"  The  apples  are  all  gone/'  said  Kitty 
Green.  "  We're  going  for  some  to-morrow 
night,  Goat.  You'll  go,  too,  of  course  ?  " 

"  Going  out  through  Broadway,"  said  Viola. 
"  We  haven't  been  out  for  more  than  a  week, 
and  the  moon  will  be  nearly  full  to-morrow. 
It'll  be  perf'ly  fine,  Goat,  won't  it  ?  " 

"Veto!"  said  Grace,  calmly. 

"  Veto  ?     Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"What's  wrong?" 

"  What  has  happened  ?  " 

"  Nothing  has  happened.  Boots  are  no 
longer  free,  that's  all." 

"  Do  speak  English,  Grace  Wolfe  !  What 
do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  There  —  are  —  to  —  be  —  no  more — free- 
booting  expeditions  —  through  Broadway.  Is 
that  sufficiently  plain,  or  shall  I  spell  the 
words?" 

Blanche  Haight  rose  to  her  feet,  several 
of  the  other  girls  following  her.  "  What  is 
the  matter  with  you  to-night,  Goat  ?  "  she  said. 
"  We  don't  seem  to  succeed  in  satisfying  you. 


180  PEGGY. 

Aren't  we  good  enough  company  for  you,  per 
haps?"  And  Blanche  sneered  in  her  own 
particular  manner,  of  which  she  was  proud. 

"  I  make  no  remarks/'  said  the  Scapegoat, 
in  her  quietest  tones.  "  I  have  not  been  per 
sonal.  I  merely  say,  while  I  lead  this  Gang, 
there  will  be  no  more  expeditions  through 
Broadway." 

"And  how  long  do  you  suppose  you  will 
lead  this  Gang,  if  you  play  the  part  of  Pope 
and  emperor?"  demanded  Blanche. 

The  other  girls  began  to  murmur  and  pro 
test  at  this.  "  Listen  to  the  Goat !  "  said  one 
and  another.  "  She  must  have  some  reason, 
or  she  wouldn't  act  so." 

But  Grace  seized  her  opportunity. 

"How  long?"  she  repeated.  "Not  an 
hour  !  not  a  second  !  I  resign.  My  last  act 
is  to  break  up  this  meeting.  To  your  tents, 
0  Israel !  " 

Then  arose  such  a  confusion  of  whispering, 
exclaiming,  disclaiming,  entreating,  protest 
ing,  that  no  one  voice  could  be  heard.  The 
owner  of  the  room,  fairly  roused  for  a  mo 
ment  (but  indeed  she  had  finished  the  mouse), 


FACULTY    MEETING    AND    BEDLAM.       181 

turned  round  to  see  what  was  wrong.  For  a 
moment  she  saw  the  two  leaders,  Grace  and 
Blanche,  facing  each  other,  the  one  pale  and 
quiet,  the  other  red  with  anger,  her  eyes  dart 
ing  spiteful  flames.  Next  moment,  Grace 
made  a  single  quick  movement,  and  the  room 
was  in  darkness.  She  had  blown  out  the 
lamp. 

"  To  your  tents  ! "  she  repeated,  sternly. 
And,  hurrying,  whispering,  stumbling  over 
the  remains  of  their  feast  scattered  on  the 
floor,  the  frightened  girls  obeyed. 


CHAPTER   X. 

TEACHEK   AND    PUPIL. 

THE  day  after  the  escapade  was  the  worst 
one   that   Peggy  Montfort   had   ever  known. 
She  was  too  strong  and  healthy  to  lie  awake 
all  night,  though  it  was  much  later  than  usual 
before  she  ceased  to  toss  in  uneasy  wretched 
ness  and  lay  peacefully  sleeping.    When  morn 
ing  came,  she  woke,  and  for  a  moment  greeted 
the  bright  day  joyfully.     Then  remembrance 
came  like  a  hand  at  her  throat,  and  she  shiv 
ered,  and  all  the  blue  seemed  to  fade  away, 
and  leave  nothing  but   cold,  miserable  gray 
over  all  the  world.   What  had  she  done  ?  What 
would  Uncle  John  and  Margaret,  what  would 
Brother    Hugh   think,   if  they  should    know 
this?     Slowly  and   heavily  she   dressed   and 
went  down  to  breakfast.     There,  it  seemed  as 
if  everybody  knew  what  she  had  done.     Miss 
Russell's  eyes  rested  thoughtfully  on  her  as 


182 


TEACHER    AND    PUPIL.  183 

she  bade  her  good  morning-   Peggy  shrank 
away,  and  could  not  meet  the  gaze.     If  she 
did   not   know  now,  she   would   soon.     "  An 
honest,  steady,  sensible  girl !  "    Well,  Miss  Rus 
sell  would  find  she  had  been  mistaken,  that 
was  all ;  and  of  course  she  would  never  trust 
again  where  she  had  once  been  deceived.    And 
yet  Peggy  knew  in  her  heart  that  there  was 
no  girl  in  the  school  who  was  so  little  likely 
to  do  this  thing  again  as  herself.     She  was  by 
nature,  as  I  have  said,  a  law-abiding  creature, 
with  a  natural  reverence  for  authority.     To 
have  set  the  law  at  defiance  was  bad  enough ; 
to  have   done  it   secretly,  and   betrayed  the 
trust  that  had  been  placed  in  her,  that  was 
worse  !     That  was  beyond  possibility  of  par 
don.     Thus   argued   Peggy  in   her  wretched 
ness  ;  and  all  through  the  morning  she  went 
over  it  again  and  again,  and  yet  again,  seeing 
no  help  or  comfort  anywhere.    Bertha  Haugh- 
ton,    always    quick    in    sympathy,    saw    the 
trouble  in  her  friend's  face,  and  came  over  in 
"gym"  and  begged  to  know  what  was  the 
matter.     Wasn't  Peggy  well  ?     Had  anything 
happened  to  trouble  her  ?     Peggy  shook  her 


184  PEGGY. 

head  ;  she  could  not  tell  even  this  good  friend 

—  yet.     There  was  some  one  else  who  must 
be  told  first.     She  promised  to  come  to  the 
Owls'  Nest  later  in  the  day,  and  Bertha  was 
forced  to  be  content  with  this,  and  left  her 
with  a  vague  sense  of  uneasiness  and  a  feel 
ing   that    somehow  little    Peggy  had   grown 
suddenly  older  and  more  mature.     Yes,  there 
is  nothing  like  trouble  for  that ! 

It  was  almost  a  relief  when  the  summons 
came. 

"  Miss  Montfort,  Miss  Russell  would  like  to 
see  you  in  the  study." 

Peggy  steadied  herself  for  the  encounter, 
and  went  quietly.  If  only  she  could  be  met 
with  a  cold  look,  it  would  be  easier,  somehow 

—  but  no  !  the  Principal's  gray  eyes  were  as 
kind  as  ever,  her  smile  as  gravely  sweet,  as 
she  said,  pleasantly,   "  Good    morning,    Miss 
Montfort.     Good   afternoon,  I  should  say ;  I 
forgot  how  late  it  was.     Sit  down  for  a  mo 
ment,  will  you?   I  want  to  ask   you  about 
something." 

Peggy  did  not  want  to  sit  down.  She 
wanted  to  stand  still  and  go  through  with  it, 


TEACHEK    AND    PUPIL.  185 

and  then  get  away  to  her  own  room.  But 
there  was  no  disregarding  the  request,  so  she 
sat  down  on  the  edge  of  a  chair  and  set  her 
teeth. 

"  I  hardly  know  where  to  begin  !  "  said  Miss 
Russell.  "I  am  going  to  take  you  into  my 
confidence  —  Peggy." 

Peggy  shivered  a  little,  but  said  nothing, 
only  set  her  teeth  harder. 

"  There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  trouble," 
Miss  Russell  went  on,  "  a  good  deal  of  trouble 
in  former  years  with  the  room  which  you  now 
occupy.  The  girl  who  occupied  it  was  —  was 
wild  and  undisciplined,  and  took  pleasure  in 
breaking  bounds,  and  in  inducing  others  to  do 
so.  She  —  there  were  a  number  of  girls  who 
used  to  go  out  without  leave,  by  way  of  the 
fire-escape  outside  the  window." 

She  paused  a  moment,  and  looked  at  Peggy, 
but  Peggy  made  no  sign. 

"  That  girl  —  left  the  school  last  year,  not 
to  return ;  but  there  are  several  still  here  who 
used  to  share  in  those  wild  pranks  (under 
taken  in  mere  thoughtlessness,  I  am  glad  to 
think,  and  not  with  any  evil  intent),  and  I 


186  PEGGY. 

have  been  afraid  —  in  fact,  it  has  come  to  my 
ears,  that  the  room  was  again  being  used  for 
the  same  purpose." 

She  paused  again ;  but  still  Peggy  was 
silent.  What  could  she  say?  Besides,  no 
question  had  been  asked  her — yet ! 

The  question  came.  "You  are  silent,  Peggy. 
Do  you  know  anything  about  this  matter?" 

"Yes,  Miss  Russell ! "  said  Peggy,  faintly. 

"I  feel,"  said  the  Principal,  in  a  tone  of 
regret,  "  that  I  have  been  to  blame  in  not 
warning  you  of  this  beforehand,  and  putting 
you  on  your  guard.  I  had  hoped  that  when 
Bil— -  when  the  young  lady  of  whom  I  spoke 
was  gone,  the  whole  thing  would  die  out;  it  is 
a  distressing  thing  to  warn  a  pupil  against  her 
schoolmates.  Still,  I  feel  that  in  this  case  I 
ought  to  have  done  so.  I  place  entire  confi 
dence  in  you,  Peggy.  I  am  sure  that  you 
would  not  yourself  break  the  rules  of  the 
school ;  but  you  may  have  been  put  to  incon 
venience  and  distress  by  the  lawlessness  of 
others.  I  am  very  sorry  if  this  has  been  the 


case." 


Peggy  shut  her  eyes  tight,  and  said  "  Mar- 


TEACHER    AND    PUPIL.  187 


garet !  "  twice  to  herself.     Then  she  looked  at 
the  Principal. 

"Miss  Russell,"  she  said,  —  she  tried  to 
steady  her  voice,  but  it  would  come  strange 
and  shaky,  —  "you  are  mistaken  about  me. 
I  am  not  the  kind  of  girl  you  think  I  am.  I 

—  I  went  out  last  night  without  leave,  by  the 
fire-escape." 

There  was  a  silence. 

"Who  induced  you  —  that  is,  with  whom 

did  you  go  ? "  asked  Miss  Russell,  presently. 

"I  —  I  didn't  say  that  any  one  else  went." 

"  No,  my  dear,  you  did  not  say  so.     But 

—  "  and  here  Miss  Russell  rose,  and,  crossing 
the  room,  laid  her  hand  on  Peggy's  shoulder ; 
"  if  I  know  anything  at  all  of  girls,  you  did 
not  go  alone,  and  you  did  not  go  of  your  own 
motion.     And  —  Peggy,  if  you  were  not  the 
kind  of  girl  I  thought  you,  you  would  not  be 
feeling  as  you  do  now  about  the  whole  thing." 

This  was  too  much.  Peggy  could  have 
borne,  or  she  thought  she  could  have  borne, 
anger  or  scorn,  or  the  cold  indifference  that 
is  born  of  contempt ;  but  the  kind  tone,  the 
look  of  affectionate  inquiry,  the  friendly  hand 


188 


PEGGY. 


on  her  shoulder,  —  all  this  she  could  not  bear. 
She  covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and  burst 
into  a  passion  of  tears. 

It  seemed  hours  that  she  wept,  and  sobbed, 
and  wept  again.  It  did  not  seem  as  if  she 
could  ever  stop,  the  tears  came  rushing  so 
fast  and  so  violently  •  but  however  long  it 
was,  Miss  Russell  did  not  try  to  stop  or  check 
her,  only  stood  by  with  her  hand  on  the  girl's 
shoulder,  patting  it  now  and  then,  or  putting 
back  with  the  other  hand  —  such  a  soft,  firm, 
motherly  hand  it  was  !  —  the  stray  locks 
which  kept  falling  over  Peggy's  face  as  the 
sobs  shook  her  from  head  to  foot. 

At  last,  however,  the  storm  abated  a  little ; 
and  then,  while  Peggy  was  trying  to  dry  her 
tears,  and  the  choking  sobs  were  subsiding 
into  long,  deep  breathings,  Miss  Russell  spoke 
again. 

"Peggy,  we  teachers  have  to  go  a  good 
deal  by  instinct,  do  you  know  it?  It  is  not 
possible  for  me,  for  example,  to  know  every 
one  of  seventy-odd  girls  as  I  ought  to  know 
her,  by  actual  contact  and  communion.  But 
I  have  acquired  a  sort  of  sense,  —  I  hardly 


TEACHEK   AND    PUPIL.  189 

know  what  to  call  it,  —  an  insight  by  means 
of  which  I  can  tell  pretty  well  what  a  girl's 
standard  of  life  is,  and  how  I  can  best  help 
her.  I  know  that  now  I  can  best  help  you 
and  myself  by  saying  — and  meaning  — just 
what  I  said  before.  I  place  entire  confidence 
in  you,  Peggy  Montfort." 

Peggy  looked  up  in  amazement ;  could  she 
believe  what  she  heard  ? 

"To  some  girls,"  the  Principal  went  on, 
"the  taste  of  stolen  fruit  is  sweet,  and  hav 
ing  once  tasted  it,  they  hanker  for  more.  To 
you,  it  is  bitter." 

"  Oh !  "  said  Peggy ;  and  the  gasping  ex 
clamation  was  enough. 

"  Very  bitter  !  "  said  the  Principal.  "  I 
speak  not  from  impulse,  but  from  experience, 
when  I  tell  you  that  there  is  no  girl  in  the 
school  to-day  whom  I  could  sooner  trust  not 
to  commit  this  offence  than  you,  who  com 
mitted  it  last  night." 

Her  own  thought,  almost  her  own  words. 
Peggy  raise  her  head  again,  and  this  time  her 
eyes  were  full  of  a  new  hope,  a  new  courage. 

"  I  believe  that  is  true,  Miss  Russell,"  she 


190  PEGGY. 

said,  simply.  "  I  had  thought  that  myself, 
but  I  didn't  suppose  —  I  didn't  think - 

"  You  did  not  think  that  I  would  know 
enough  to  understand  it !  "  said  Miss  Russell, 
smiling.  "  "Well,  you  see  I  do,  though  we 
both  owe  it  partly  to  dear  Emily  Cortlandt, 
who  reminded  me  of  my  duty  and  of  your 
position.  Now,  Peggy,  I  have  a  recitation, 
and  we  must  part.  I  put  you  in  charge  of 
6  Broadway,'  fully  and  freely.  No  one  must 
come  in,  and  no  one  must  go  out,  by  that 
window.  And  if  you  have  any  trouble,"  she 
added,  with  a  smile,  "  if  you  have  any  trouble 
and  do  not  think  it  right  to  tell  me,  call  for 
the  Owls,  and  they  will  help  you.  Good-bye, 
my  child!" 

She  held  out  her  hand,  and  Peggy  took  it 
with  a  wild  desire  to  kiss  it,  or  to  fall  down 
and  kiss  the  hem  of  her  gown  who  had  shown 
herself  thus  an  angel  of  sympathy  and  kind 
ness.  But  the  Principal  bent  down  and  kissed 
the  girl's  forehead  lightly  and  tenderly. 

"  We  shall  be  friends  always  now,"  she 
said,  simply.  "  Don't  forget,  Peggy  !  " 

She  was  gone,  and   Peggy  took  her  own 


TEACHEK    AND    PUPIL.  191 

way  in  the  opposite  direction,  hardly  know 
ing  whither  she  was  going.  Her  heart  was 
so  full  of  joy  and  love  and  gratitude,  it 
seemed  as  if  she  must  break  out  into  singing 
or  shouting.  Was  ever  any  one  so  kind,  so 
noble,  so  lovely  ?  How  could  any  one  not 
try  to  do  her  very,  very  best,  to  deserve 
the  care  and  friendship  of  such  a  teacher  as 
this? 

Passing  as  if  on  wings  through  the  geome 
try  room,  she  saw  a  figure  crouching  over  a 
desk,  and  was  aware  of  Rose  Barclay,  bent 
over  her  book,  and  crying  bitterly.  Nothing 
could  hold  Peggy  back  in  that  moment  of 
exaltation.  In  an  instant  she  was  at  the 
girl's  side.  "  Let  me  help  you  !  "  she  cried. 
"  Please  let  me  ;  I  know  I  can." 

Rose  Barclay  looked  up  fiercely.  "  I  asked 
you  to  help  me,  once  !  "  she  said.  "  I  am  not 
likely  to  ask  again.  Go  away,  please,  and  let 
me  alone." 

"  No,  I  won't !  "  said  stout  Peggy.  "  You 
never  would  let  me  explain,  but  now  you  are 
going  to  let  me.  I  couldn't  show  you  my  ex 
ample,  and  I  wouldn't,  and  I  never  will ;  but  I 


192  PEGGY. 

could  make  you  see  how  to  do  your  own  right, 
and  that's  what  I  am  going  to  do  now." 

Down  she  sat  without  more  ado  ;  took  the 
pencil  from  the  unwilling  hand,  and  set  to 
work  on  an  imaginary  problem.  Rose  Bar 
clay  sat  still  for  a  moment  with  averted 
face,  pride  and  shame  doing  their  best  to 
silence  the  better  voices  within  her.  At 
length  she  stole  a  glance  at  Peggy's  face,  and 
there  beheld  such  a  shining  expanse  of  good 
will  and  friendliness  that  Pride  and  Co.  gave 
up  the  battle,  and  retreated  into  their  dens. 
Heaving  a  long  sigh  of  relief,  she  bent  for 
ward,  and  soon  was  following  with  all  her 
might  Peggy's  clear  and  lucid  explanation. 

"Why,  yes!"  said  Rose,  at  last.  "Why, 
I  do  see.  Why,  I  do  believe  I  could  do  that 
myself." 

"  Of  course  you  can  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  Here, 
take  the  pencil,  and  I'll  give  you  one." 

Sne  did  so,  and,  after  some  screwing  of  the 
mouth  and  knitting  of  the  brows,  Rose  actu 
ally  did  do  it,  and  felt  like  Wellington  after 
Waterloo.  Then,  at  Peggy's  instigation,  she 
tackled  the  actual  lesson,  and,  steered  by  Pro- 


TEACHER   AND    PUPIL.  193 

fessor  Peggy,  went  through  it  triumphantly. 
Then  she  turned  on  her  instructor. 

"  What  made  you  come  and  help  me,  Peggy 
Montfort  ?  I've  been  perfectly  hateful  to  you, 
you  know  I  have.  I  wouldn't  have  helped 
you,  if  you  had  acted  the  way  I  have." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  would,"  said  Peggy,  good- 
naturedly. 

"  Why — why,  you  have  been  crying,  too  !  " 
said  Rose,  examining  her  benefactress  more 
closely.  "  Peggy?  you  have  been  crying 
awfully,  I  know  you  have." 

"  Yes,  I  have,"  said  Peggy ;  "  I  have  cried 
my  eyes  out,  and  I  never  was  so  happy  in  my 
life.  Come  on,  and  have  a  game  of  ball !  " 


CHAPTER   XI. 

DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS. 

THE  Junior  Reception  was  "  on."     In  fact, 
it  was  to  take  place  this  very  evening,  and  an 
air    of   subdued    excitement   hung    over   the 
whole  school.      All    the    other  classes  were 
invited,  as  well    as    the    Faculty  and  many 
friends  from   outside  ;    it  was   sure   to  be  a 
delightful    occasion.      Peggy   was    fortunate 
enough  to  be  one  of  the  auxiliaries  called  in 
by  the  Snowy  Owl  to  help  in  the  decorations, 
and  she  counted  it  a  high  privilege,  as  indeed 
it  was.     As   a  general  thing,  there  is   more 
sympathy  between  juniors  and  freshmen  than 
between  any  other  two  classes   in  school  or 
college ;  various  reasons  may  be  assigned  for 
this,  but  it  remains  the   fact.     Besides  this, 
however,    Peggy    felt   a    very    special    bond 
with  the  "  Jews,"  because  her  dearest  friends 


194 


DECORATION AND  OTHER  THINGS.   105 

were  among  them.  This  had  come  about 
partly  from  the  accident  of  her  coming  late  to 
school,  and  so  being  put  into  the  junior  cor 
ridor  ;  but  it  was  still  more  due  to  her  making 
instant  acquaintance,  as  we  have  seen,  with 
the  Fluffy  Owl,  and  through  her  with  the 
beloved  and  powerful  Snowy.  These  two 
girls,  through  their  wise  and  gentle  ways, 
were  a  power  for  good  in  the  whole  school, 
and  especially  in  their  own  class.  They  were 
queens  of  the  steady  and  right-minded  ma 
jority,  while  Grace  Wolfe  led  the  wilder  and 
less  disciplined  spirits.  The  Owls  went  their 
quiet  way,  and  troubled  themselves  little,  less 
perhaps  than  they  should  have  done,  about 
the  doings  of  the  "  Gang."  They  were  busy 
with  study,  with  basket-ball,  with  a  hundred 
things  ;  they  could  not  always  know  (espe 
cially  when  pains  were  taken  that  they  should 
not  know)  what  tricks  the  Scapegoat  and  her 
wild  mates  were  up  to. 

Both  Owls  had  a  real  affection  for  Peggy, 
and  though  they  knew  nothing  as  yet  of  the 
recent  escapade,  they  felt  that  it  would  be 
well  to  keep  her  rather  under  their  wing,  the 


196  PEGGY. 

more  so  that  Grace  had  undoubtedly  taken  a 
fancy  to  the  child,  too. 

"She's  too  fascinating!"  said  the  Snowy. 
"  We  shall  have  the  Innocent  falling  in  love 
with  her  if  we  don't  look  out,  and  that  would 
never  do  !  " 

"  Never !  "  said  the  Fluffy,  shaking  her 
head  wisely ;  but  she  added,  in  an  undertone, 
"  If  only  the  mischief  isn't  done  already !  " 

So  the  two  asked  Peggy  to  help  them  in 
the  work  of  preparing  the  gymnasium  for  the 
great  event,  and  she  consented  with  delight. 
She  was  making  plenty  of  friends  in  her  own 
class,  oh,  yes ;  especially  now  that  she  and 
Rose  Barclay  had  made  it  up.  She  was  the 
one  stay  and  comfort  of  poor  little  Lobelia 
Parkins,  and  was  devotedly  kind  to  that  for 
lorn  creature,  taking  her  out  to  walk  almost 
by  main  force,  and  presenting  to  all  comers  a 
front  of  such  stalwart,  not  to  say  pugnacious, 
determination,  that  no  one  dared  to  molest 
the  girl  when  Peggy  was  with  her.  Spite  of 
all  this,  however,  her  heart  remained  in  Cor 
ridor  A,  and  she  would  have  left  the  whole 
freshman  class  in  the  lurch  at  one  whistle 


DECOKATION —  AND  OTHER  THINGS.   197 

from  the  Owls  —  or,  alas  !   from  the   Scape 
goat. 

But  all  this  is  by  the  way,  and  does  not 
help  us  to  get  up  the  Junior  Reception. 

There  had  been  an  early  morning  expedi 
tion  to  the  neighbouring  woods  (not,  how 
ever,  through  the  fire-escape),  and  Peggy  and 
the  Owls  had  returned  each  with  a  wheel 
barrow-load  of  boughs  and  ground  pine  and 
all  manner  of  pleasant  woodland  things. 
The  leaves  had  turned,  and  were  glowing 
with  scarlet  and  gold  and  russet.  These 
were  put  in  water,  lest  they  should  begin  to 
curl  and  wither  before  night ;  while  the  ever 
greens  were  heaped  in  a  corner  and  left  to 
their  fate.  Now  it  was  afternoon,  and  the 
girls,  released  from  their  tasks,  had  flown  to 
the  scene  of  action.  Already  the  gymnasium 
began  to  assume  a  festive  appearance.  Sev 
eral  garlands  were  in  place,  and  on  the  floor 
sat  six  or  eight  juniors,  busily  weaving 
more.  Ladders  stood  here  and  there.  At 
the  top  of  one  stood  the  Snowy  Owl,  arrang 
ing  a  "  trophy,"  as  she  called  it,  of  brilliant 
leaves,  on  another,  Peggy  was  valiantly  ham- 


198 


PEGGY. 


mering,  as  she  arranged  in  festoons  the  long 
folds  of  green  and  white  bunting  that  the 
Fluffy  handed  up  to  her.  The  Fluffy  was  a 
curious  sight,  being  swathed  in  bunting  from 
head  to  foot.  When  Peggy  demanded  "more 
slack,"  she  simply  turned  around  a  few  times 
and  unrolled  herself,  thus  presenting  the 
appearance  of  an  animated  spool. 

"It's  effective,"  said  Gertrude,  surveying 
her  from  her  perch,  "  but  I  can't  say  that  it 
looks  comfortable.  How  ever  did  you  get 
yourself  into  such  a  snarl,  Fluff?" 

"Why,  I  was  measuring  it,  don't  you 
know  ?  "  said  Bertha,  "  and  it  got  all  into  a 
heap  on  the  floor,  and  there  was  so  much  of 
it  I  didn't  know  what  to  do.  So  I  began  to 
roll  it  round  and  round  myself,  and  the  first 
thing  I  knew  I  was  the  cocoon-thing  you  see 
before  you.  I  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  come  out 
a  butterfly,  somehow." 

"  They  are  lovely  colours  !  "  said  Peggy. 
"There's  nothing'  so  pretty  as  green  and 
white.  How  do  you  choose  your  colours  ? 
We  haven't  chosen  ours  yet,  but  I  suppose  we 
shall  soon." 


DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS.      199 

"  The  Snowy  cliose  them/'  said  Bertha. 
"  They  were  Sir  Somebody-or-other's  colours  at 
the  Siege  of  Acre.  I  wanted  scarlet,  because 
that  was  Launcelot's  —  " 

"Fluffy  !  it  was  nothing  of  the  kind  !  " 

"  Well,  you  know  what  I  mean,  Snowy ; 
don't  make  a  cannibal  meal  of  me.  Scarlet 
was  Elaine's  colour,  and  Launcelot  wore  it; 
that  was  what  I  meant." 

"I  thought  —  "  said  Peggy,  timidly,  "I 
thought  she  was  the  Lily  Maid ;  I  thought 
she  wore  white." 

"Did,  herself,"  said  the  Snowy,  with  her 
mouth  full  of  tacks.  "  But  she  gave  him  a 
scarlet  sleeve  embroidered  with  pearls,  and  he 
wore  it  on  his  helmet,  and  that  was  what 
made  Guinevere  throw  the  diamonds  into  the 


river." 


"Oh!"  said  Peggy,  meekly.  She  had 
tried  to  read  the  "Idyls  of  the  King,"  but 
could  not  make  out  much  except  the  fighting 
parts. 

"  Never  understood  why  they  had  sleeves  so 
often,"  said  Bertha,  abstractedly  bunching  the 
green  and  white  draperies.  "  Never  could  see 


200  PEGGY. 

• 

how  they  got  the  sleeve  on  the  helmet  in  any 
kind  of  shape.  What  sort  of  sleeves  did  they 
have  then,  anyhow  ?  Why,  they  were  those 
tight  ones,  weren't  they,  with  a  slashed  cap  at 
the  top  ?  Well,  now,  Snowy,  that  would  look 
perfectly  absurd  on  a  helmet,  you  know  it 
would." 

The  Snowy  deigned  no  reply ;  or  perhaps 
the  tacks  were  in  a  perilous  position  at  that 
moment.  Bertha  went  on,  thoughtfully  : 

"  A  balloon  sleeve,  now,  would  be  more 
sensible ;  you  could  slip  it  over  the  helmet, 
and  it  would  look  like  —  like  the  shade  of  *a 
piano  lamp.  But  somehow,  whenever  I  read 
about  it,  I  see  a  small,  tight,  red  sleeve,  spread 
out  like  a  red  flannel  bandage,  as  if  the  helmet 
had  a  sore  throat  —  " 

"Fluffy,  you  are  talking  absolute  non 
sense  ! "  said  Gertrude,  regaining  utterance. 
"And  after  all,  they  had  gloves  oftener  than 
sleeves ;  not  that  that  makes  it  much  better. 
For  my  part,  I  always  think  of  a  glove  with 
all  the  five  fingers  sticking  up  out  of  the  middle 
of  the  crown,  as  if  they  had  tried  to  be  feathers 
and  been  nipped  in  the  bud." 


DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS.      201 

"Feathers  don't  bud!"  said  Bertha,  hand 
ing  up  more  slack. 

"But  the  real  thing,"  Gertrude  went  on, 
"  the  beautiful,  graceful  thing  for  the  knight 
to  wear,  was  the  scarf.  He  could  do  any 
thing  he  liked  with  that;  tie  it  around  his 
helmet,  or  across  his  breast,  —  that  was  the 
proper  way  of  course,  —  or  around  his  waist. 

"  A  green  scarf,  that  is  what  I  would  have  ! 
Very  soft,  so  that  it  would  go  through  a 
finger-ring,  and  yet  wide  enough  to  shake  out 
into  wonderful  folds,  you  know,  so  that  he  could 
wrap  himself  up  in  it,  and  think  of  me,  and  - 
what's  the  matter,  Peggy,  why  do  you  sigh?" 

"Did  I  sigh?"  said  Peggy,  looking  con 
fused.  "  It  was  nothing,  Snowy.  I  was  only 
thinking  —  thinking  how  stupid  I  was,  and 
how  Margaret  would  like  all  the  things  you 
talk  about." 

"Meaning  sleeves  ?  " 

"  No,  oh,  no !  but  about  knights,  and  chiv 
alry,  and  all  that  kind  of  thing.  Margaret 
loves  it  so  !  She  used  to  try  to  read  Froissart 
to  me,  but  it  always  put  me  to  sleep.  I  sup 
pose  you  like  Froissart,  Gertrude  ?  " 


202  PEGGY. 

She  spoke  so  wistfully  that  Gertrude  took 
the  tacks  out  of  her  mouth  (she  should  never 
have  put  them  in ;  a  junior  should  have 
known  better ! )  that  she  might  reply  the 
better. 

"  Why,  Peggy,  yes,  I  do  like  Froissart,  but 
it  never  troubles  me  when  people  don't  care 
for  my  kind  of  books.  You  see,  there  are  so 
many  kinds,  such  an  endless  variety,  and 
good  in  so  many  different  ways.  Now  you, 
for  example,  would  like  the  Jungle  Books, 
and  the  '  Cruise  of  the  Cachalot]  and  all  kinds 
of  books  of  adventure." 

"  I  don't  know  what  is  adventure  if  Frois 
sart  isn't,"  Bertha  put  in. 

"  Yes,  but  it's  all  too  far  away,  too  remote. 
I  know  how  Peggy  feels,  because  I  have  a 
cousin  who  is  just  that  way.  She  used  to 
think  she  should  never  read  anything  at  all ; 
then  one  day  she  got  hold  of  Kipling,  and  the 
worlds  opened,  and  the  doors  thereof.  Just 
you  come  to  me  for  the  Jungle  Books  some 
day,  Innocent,  and  you'll  see.  Look  here,  I 
want  lots  and  lots,  and  again  lots  more  leaves. 
Where  are  they  all?  I  don't  see  any  more,  but 


DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS.      203 

there  must  be  any  quantity.     I  brought  in  a 
whole  copse,  myself." 

"  We  put  them  all  into  the  old  swimming- 
tank,  don't  you  remember  ?    Qh,  no  ;  you  went 
in  before  we  had  finished  this  morning.    Well, 
they  are  there.     Stay  where  you  are,  Snowy, 
and  Peggy  and  I  will  get  a  couple  of  loads." 
The  two  girls  ran  down-stairs  to  the  lower 
floor.     Part  of  this  was  taken  up,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  by  dressing-rooms,  but  it  was 
only  a  small  part.     The  larger  space  was  oc 
cupied  by  the  great  swimming-tank,  five  feet 
deep,  and  twenty  by  thirty  feet  in  area.     The 
tank  was  not  used  now,  but  the  water  was 
still  connected,   and   could  be  turned  on  by 
special    permission.      Now,    accordingly,    the 
water  in  the  bottom  was  about  two  feet  deep, 
and  the  whole  surface  was  a  blaze  of  autumn 
colours,  great  branches  of  maple,  oak,  and  ash 
covering  it  completely. 

"Pretty,  isn't  it?"  said  Bertha.  "Like  a 
little  sunset  sea  all  alone  by  itself,  without 
any  sun  to  set.  The  next  question  is,  how 
are  we  to  get  at  them  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that's  easy  enough ! "  said  Peggy.    "  I 


204 


PEGGY. 


can  reach  them  easily  from  the  edge,  and  I'll 
hand  them  over  to  you." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  she  climbed 
up  on  the  broad  marble  slab  which  formed  the 
edge  of  the  great  tank. 

Then,  bending  down,  she  brought  up  a 
great  branch  of  golden  maple,  fresh  and  drip 
ping.  She  shook  it,  and  a  diamond  shower 
fell  back  on  the  dark  space  left  vacant ;  then 
another  branch  floated  quietly  over  and  filled 
the  space  again. 

"  You'll  be  wet  through ! "  said  Bertha.  "  I 
don't  suppose  you  care  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed  !  I'd  rather  be  wet  than  not, 
when  I'm  doing  things." 

"I'll  remember  that,"  said  Bertha,  slyly, 
"and  come  round  with  a  watering-can  next 
time  you  are  reciting  your  rhetoric.  Give  me 
some  red  now;  oh,  that  is  a  beauty!  There! 
that's  enough  for  one  load  ;  unless  you  see 
just  one  more  little  one  that  is  superlatively 
beautiful." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  do  see !  Hold  on  a 
minute  !  this  is  such  a  beauty,  you  must  have 
it,  if  I  — oh!" 


DECORATION AND  OTHER  THINGS.   205 

Peggy  had  been  leaning  as  far  as  she  could 
over  the  broad  tank,  fishing  for  the  gay 
branch,  which  floated  provokingly  just  out  of 
reach.  At  last  she  touched  it  —  grasped  it  — 
drew  it  toward  her ;  when  all  in  a  moment 
she  slipped  on  the  marble,  now  wet  and  glossy 
with  the  falling  drops,  clutched  the  air  — 
slipped  again  —  and  fell  headlong  into  the 
tank,  with  a  mighty  splash. 

Bertha  shrieked.  There  was  an  answering 
shriek  from  above,  and  Gertrude,  followed  by 
all  the  other  girls,  came  flying  down  the 
stairs. 

"  What  has  happened  ?  What  —  where  is 
Peggy?" 

'"  In  the  tank  !  "  cried  Bertha.  "  Oh  !  dear 
me,  what  shall  we  do  ?  Peggy,  are  you  much 
hurt?" 

"No;  I — think  not!"  spluttered  Peggy.  "I 
came  down  on  my  nose,  that's  all.  Feels  as 
if  it  was  broken,  but  I  don't  know  —  no  !  It 
doesn't  crack  when  I  wiggle  it.  It's  bleeding 
a  good  deal,  though.  Perhaps  I'd  better  stay 
in  till  it  stops." 

Bertha   tried   to   climb   up   to    the    perch 


206  PEGGY. 

which  Peggy  had  so  suddenly  left  vacant, 
but  in  vain ;  her  legs  were  far  too  short. 
Gertrude,  however,  came  with  a  flying  leap, 
and  scrambled  cat-like  up  the  side  of  the  tank. 
Looking  down,  with  the  kindest  heart  in  the 
world,  and  a  world  of  sympathy  to  fill  it,  she 
still  could  not  help  bursting  into  a  peal  of 
laughter.  Peggy,  sitting  in  the  tank,  crowned 
with  gold  and  scarlet  leaves,  and  dripping  like 
Undine,  was  certainly  a  funny  spectacle. 

"  Oh,  do  forgive  me  for  laughing,  Peggy 
dear  !  "  cried  Gertrude.  "  You  —  you  do  look 
funny,  but  I'm  dreadfully  sorry." 

"  Well,  I'm  laughing  myself,"  said  Peggy, 
"  I  don't  see  why  you  shouldn't.  But  did  you 
ever  hear  of  a  water-nymph  with  a  nosebleed? 
If  I  could  only  get  at  my  pocket  —  " 

"Here,  take  mine,"  and  Gertrude  dropped 
her  handkerchief,  which  Peggy  caught  adroitly. 

"  My  dear,"  Gertrude  went  on,  "  it  seems 
so  strange  to  have  some  one  besides  me 
falling  about  and  dropping  herself.  I  used 
to  be  the  one,  always.  They  called  me 
6  Dropsy '  at  home ;  and  I  fell  in  here  last 
year,  Peggy,  and  I  know  exactly  how  it 


"'HKRK!  TAKK  MY  HAND  AND   SCRAMBLE  OUT. 


DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS.      207 

feels.  Here !  take  my  hand  and  scramble 
out." 

Peggy,  still  sitting  in  the  water,  which 
covered  her  to  the  waist,  looked  about  her 
thoughtfully.  "  It  seems  a  pity,  now  I  am 
here,  not  to  have  some  good  of  it/'  she  said, 
philosophically. 

"  If  it  were  only  a  foot  deeper,  or  I  weren't 
bothered  with  all  these  petticoats,  I  might 
have  a  good  swim.  However,  I  suppose  I 
may  as  well  get  out  —  if  I  can.  Take  care, 
Snowy  —  oh  !  take  care  !  " 

Alas  !  for  the  Snowy  Owl !  After  all,  she 
was  still  Gertrude  Merryweather.  The  marble 
was  wet  —  she  bent  down  to  take  Peggy's 
hand  —  there  was  another  tremendous  splash, 
and  two  Undines  sat  in  the  tank,  gazing 
speechless  on  each  other.  This  was  too  much 
for  the  composure  of  any  one.  Both  Peggy 
and  Gertrude  sat  helpless,  shaking  with 
laughter,  and  absolutely  unable  to  move. 
Bertha,  outside,  fairly  went  into  hysterics, 
and  laughed  and  screamed  in  one  breath ; 
while  the  other  girls  raised  such  a  clamour  of 
mingled  mirth  and  terror  that  Emily  Cort- 


208  PEGGY. 

landt,  who  had  just  come  in  to  take  a  look  at 
the  decorations,  came  running  down-stairs, 
dreading  she  knew  not  what. 

One  look  over  the  edge  of  the  tank,  and 
Miss  Cortlandt  was  not  so  very  much  better 
than  the  rest  of  them ;  but  she  recovered  her 
self  sooner.  Wiping  her  eyes,  she  proceeded 
at  once  to  the  business  of  rescuing  the  two 
involuntary  divers.  It  proved  impossible  for 
them  to  climb  up,  the  sides  being  too  slippery, 
and  the  flying  leap  being  out  of  the  question 
in  two  feet  of  water.  She  brought  a  short 
ladder,  and  in  another  moment  first  one 
nymph  and  then  the  other  came  up  from 
their  fountain,  and  dripped  little  rivers  on  the 
floor. 

"Is  either  of  you  hurt?"  asked  Miss 
Cortlandt. 

«  Not  I !  "  said  Gertrude,  ruefully.  "  I  fell 
on  top  of  poor  Peggy,  and  she  makes  a  per 
fect  cushion.  How  are  you,  Peggy  ?  Did  I 
half  kill  you?" 

"  Not  a  bit !  I  think  perhaps  I've  sprained 
my  wrist  a  little,  but  that  was  when  I  went 
in  myself.  No,  I'm  all  right;  truly  I  am, 


DECORATION AND    OTHER    THINGS.      209 

Miss  Cortlandt.  I'll  just  go  and  change  my 
clothes,  and  then  come  back  and  finish." 

Emily  Cortlandt  did  not  come  of  amphibious 
stock.  "  You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind  !  " 
she  said.  "  You  ought  to  go  to  bed,  Peggy, 
and  Gertrude,  too ;  but  I  suppose  you  would 
think  that  a  terrible  piece  of  injustice." 

"  Yes,  Miss  Cortlandt,  we  should  !  "  replied 
both  girls,  in  a  breath. 

"And  I  know  that  you  have  both  been 
brought  up  more  or  less  like  whales;  so  I'll 
let  you  off  with  camphor  pills  and  peppermint 
drops.  Those  you  must  have.  Run  along 
and  change  everything  —  everything,  mind !  — 
and  I'll  corne  around  in  five  minutes  and  dose 
you.  Run,  now  ;  make  it  a  race,  and  I'll  add 
hot  lemonade  to  the  stakes,  —  first  prize  and 
booby  prize !  " 

"Yes,  Miss  Cortlandt,"  cried  the  two  Un 
dines  ;  and  off  they  set  in  a  shower  of  spray, 
with  the  other  girls  at  their  heels. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AN    ADVENTURE. 

IT  all  came  from  Peggy's  forgetting  her 
handkerchief.  That  was  nothing  remarkable. 
Rapidly  though  our  heroine  was  developing, 
there  was  still  plenty  of  the  old  Peggy  left ; 
and  when  she  looked  up  at  Miss  Russell  with 
a  certain  imploring  gaze,  the  Principal  was 
apt  to  say,  without  waiting  for  anything 
further  :  "  Yes,  Peggy,  you  may ;  but  do  try 
to  remember  it  next  time  !  " 

But  this  time  it  was  well  that  Peggy  had 
not  remembered  it.  She  stumbled  across  the 
long  dining-room  quite  in  her  own  way,  stub 
bing  her  toe  against  a  sophomore's  chair,  and 
sending  the  sophomore's  spoon  clattering  to 
the  ground.  Stooping,  in  confusion,  to  pick 
it  up,  with  muttered  apologies,  she  encountered 
the  sophomore's  head  bent  down  for  the  same 


210 


AN    ADVENTURE.  211 

purpose,  and  some  mutual  star-gazing  ensued. 
Finally  she  did  manage  to  get  out  of  the  room, 
after  cannoning  against  the  door  and  taking 
most  of  the  skin  off  her  nose,  and  made  her 
way  up-stairs  ruefully,  rubbing  the  places  that 
hurt  most,  and  wondering  where  in  her  anat 
omy  lay  the  "  clumsy  bone  "  that  her  father 
always  talked  about.  "  And  it  isn't  there  all 
the  time  !  "  said  poor  Peggy.  "  Sometimes  I 
don't  fall  into  anything  for  days,  and  then,  all 
at  once,  it's  like  this  !  " 

Shaking  her  head  dolefully,  she  reached  her 
own  room,  got  the  handkerchief,  remembered 
with  a  great  effort  to  shut  the  drawer,  and 
came  out  into  the  corridor  again  —  to  come 
face  to  face  with  a  man  emerging  from  the 
opposite  room. 

The  opposite  room  was  Vanity  Fair  ;  and  the 
man's  hands  were  full  of  trinkets  and  knick- 
knacks,  and  his  pockets  bulged  in  a  suspicious 
way.  He  cast  a  wild  glance  over  Peggy's 
shoulder  at  the  open  door  of  her  room  and  the 
fire-escape  beyond ;  evidently  he  had  entered 
by  that  way,  and  counted  on  the  dinner-hour's 
keeping  every  one  below  stairs  till  he  got  safe 


212  PEGGY. 

away.  Now,  however,  baffled  in  this,  he 
turned  down  the  corridor  with  some  degree  of 
composure. 

"  Stop  !  "  said  Peggy.  «  Who  are  you,  and 
what  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

"I'm  the  plumber,  miss,"  said  the  man, 
still  walking  away. 

"  Put  down  those  things  !  "  cried  Peggy. 
"  Do  you  hear  ?  or  I'll  call  the  police  !  " 

Apparently  the  man  did  not  hear,  or  else 
did  not  fancy  the  idea  suggested  to  him,  for 
he  began  to  run  down  the  long  corridor  as  fast 
as  he  could  go. 

So  it  came  to.  pass  that  the  school,  waiting 
peacefully  for  its  pudding,  heard  a  sound  of 
hasty  feet  scurrying  down  the  stairs.  Then, 
all  in  a  rush,  came  past  the  door  the  flying 
figure  of  a  man,  with  Peggy  Montfort  in  hot 
pursuit. 

"Stop  thief!"  Peggy  shouted  it  once,  and 
then  prudently  saved  her  breath.  The  man 
fumbled  for  an  instant  at  the  front  door, 
gave  it  up,  darted  into  Miss  Russell's  study. 
Crash  went  a  window;  he  was  out,  with 
Peggy  at  his  heels,  and  away  across  the  lawn. 


AN    ADVENTURE.  213 

"  Stop  thief !  "  the  cry  rang  through  the 
school ;  and,  lo !  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye 
there  was  no  school  there.  The  long  dining- 
room  was  emptied  as  if  by  magic ;  the  front 
door  flew  open,  and  out  streamed  the  seventy 
maidens,  all  crying  "  Stop  thief !  "  all  run 
ning  their  very  best  to  come  up  with  the 
flying  pair. 

There  were  some  good  runners  at  Pentland 
School ;  but  after  the  first  few  minutes  of 
running  together,  jostling  and  pushing,  two 
girls  drew  rapidly  away  from  the  rest,  and 
soon  left  them  far  behind.  Gertrude  Merry- 
weather  and  Grace  Wolfe  had  long  been 
friendly  rivals  in  what  they  called  the  royal 
sport  of  running.  Perhaps  neither  of  them 
was  sorry  of  this  opportunity  for  a  "  good 
spurt."  Certainly  it  was  a  pretty  sight,  the 
two  tall,  graceful  creatures,  lithe  and  long- 
limbed  as  young  greyhounds,  speeding  over 
the  ground,  their  arms  held  close  at  their 
sides,  their  eyes  flashing,  youth  and  strength 
seeming  to  radiate  from  them  as  they  ran. 
Now  one  drew  ahead  a  little,  now  the  other ; 
but  for  the  most  part  they  kept  side  by  side, 


214  PEGGY. 

for  both  were  running  their  best,  not  only  for 
the  joy  and  honour  of  the  thing,  but  because 
it  was  necessary  to  arrive,  to  help  Peggy  and 
catch  the  thief. 

The  thief  was  evidently  not  a  trained  ath 
lete,  but  he  was  doing  his  best.  He  had  cut 
himself  a  good  deal  in  smashing  the  window, 
and  had  thrown  away  part  of  his  booty,  hop 
ing  that  his  relentless  pursuer  might  be  con 
tent,  and  might  stop  to  pick  up  the  brooches 
and  belt-buckles  that  lay  at  her  feet;  but 
Peggy  never  looked  at  them,  and  held  on 
straight  after  him,  gaining,  undoubtedly  gain 
ing.  The  man  doubled  back  across  the  lawn, 
hoping  to  reach  the  gate  and  safety ;  but  Peggy 
headed  him  off  as  quietly  and  coolly  as  if  he 
were  an  unruly  steer  in  the  home  stock-yard. 
Again  he  doubled,  and  again  the  girl  was 
running  in  a  diagonal  to  cut  off  his  approach 
to  the  wished-for  retreat.  But  now  he  caught 
sight  of  the  two  tall  avengers  bearing  down 
upon  him,  and  the  school  in  full  cry  behind. 
He  made  a  desperate  spurt  and  reached  the 
gate ;  it  was  half  open,  and  as  he  rushed 
through  he  slammed  it  behind  him  with  a 


AN    ADVENTURE.  215 

hoarse  shout  of  defiance.  But  much  Peggy 
cared  for  gates !  She  was  over  in  an  instant, 
and  at  his  heels  again.  And  realising  this, 
the  rascal  suddenly  changed  his  tactics.  He 
stopped  short,  and,  turning  on  Peggy  a  villain 
ous  face,  bade  her  with  an  oath,  "  Come  on, 
and  see  what  she  would  get  for  it !  " 

The  words  had  not  left  his  lips,  when  a 
ludicrous  change  came  over  the  man's  face. 
He  uttered  a  wild  yell,  and  fell  headlong, 
almost  at  Peggy's  feet.  When  Peggy  saw  this, 
she  knew  what  to  do ;  and  when  Grace  and 
Gertrude  came  flying  up  a  moment  after,  they 
found  her  sitting  quietly  on  the  rascal's  head, 
and  telling  Colney  Hatch  to  go  for  the  police. 

Colney  had  been  watching  the  evolutions 
of  a  new  and  extremely  interesting  spider. 
The  spider  had  made  her  web  in  the  hedge 
beside  the  road ;  and  Colney,  as  soon  as  morn 
ing  recitations  were  over,  had  hastened  thither, 
and  sat  down  under  the  hedge  to  watch, 
undisturbed  by  thoughts  of  dinner  or  of  any 
other  known  thing.  So  watching,  it  came  to 
pass  that  she  heard  the  sound  of  rushing  feet 
so  close  that  it  actually  did  disturb  her  •  and 


216  PEGGY. 

looked  up  to  see  an  extremely  ill-looking  fel 
low  in  full  flight,  hotly  pursued  by  Peggy 
Montfort.  When  he  turned  to  bay,  it  was 
within  a  foot  of  the  spot  where  Colney  sat 
under  the  hedge ;  and  without  more  ado 
Colney  stretched  put  her  long,  lean  hand,  and, 
grabbing  the  fellow  by  the  ankles,  "  tripped 
up  his  heels,  and  he  fell  on  his  nose." 

Presently  up  came  the  school,  panting  and 
breathless ;  with  them  Miss  Cortlandt,  who 
had  been  saying  to  herself  that  if  she  ever  let 
herself  get  out  of  practice  in  running  again 
she  would  know  the  reason  why.  Finally, 
up  came  William  the  chore-man  from  one 
direction  (for  Miss  Russell  had  gone  straight 
to  the  kitchen  and  given  the  alarm  there), 
and  the  next-door  neighbour  from  the  other ; 
whereupon  Constable  Peggy  got  up  from  her 
uneasy  seat,  and  handed  over  her  prize  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  his  own  sex. 

"  Git  up,  ye  varmint !  "  said  William,  stir 
ring  the  prostrate  figure  with  his  foot.  "  Git 
up,  and  say  what  ye've  got  to  say  for  yerself ." 

The  man  got  up,  bewildered,  and  shaking 
his  head  as  if  he  expected  it  to  come  off. 


AN    ADVENTURE.  217 

"  She  'most  killed  me!  "  he  spluttered.  "  I 
ain't  got  no  breath  left  in  my  body." 

"  Small  loss  if  ye  hain't!  "  retorted  William. 
"  What's  he  ben  doin',  gals  ?  "  William  never 
would  say  "young  ladies/'  which  distressed 
Miss  Russell ;  but  he  was  so  valuable,  as  she 
said. 

"  Stealing  !  "  said  Peggy,  briefly.  "  I  met 
him  coming  out  of  one  of  the  rooms." 

"  I  snum  !  "  said  William.  "  You're  a  nice 
kind  o'  harmonium,  ben't  ye  ?  Tu'n  out  yer 
pockets !  " 

"  She  sot  down  on  my  head  ! "  muttered 
the  man.  "  Somethin'  come  up  out  o'  the 
ground  at  me  and  knocked  me  down,  and 
then  she  sot  down  on  my  head.  I'm  'most 
killed,  I  tell  ye  !  " 

"  Well,  who  cares  if  ye  be  ? "  replied 
William,  with  some  irritation.  "  It's  a  pity 
she  didn't  finish  the  job,  that's  all  I've  got  to 
say.  Tu'n  out  yer  pockets,  will  ye  ?  " 

The  man  obeyed  unwillingly,  still  muttering ; 
and  out  came  a  mass  of  lockets,  pins,  and  chains, 
enough,  in  spite  of  those  he  had  thrown  away, 
to  furnish  half  the  girls  in  the  school. 


218  PEGGY. 

After  searching  to  see  the  surrender  was 
complete,  William  adjured  the  next-door 
neighbour,  a  stout  and  silent  person  named 
Simpson,  who  had  been  standing  by,  to 
"  take  t'other  arm,  and  we'll  walk  him 
down  to  the  lock-up  jest  as  easy ! ",  The 
thief  begged  and  prayed,  and,  finding  that 
useless,  took  to  cursing  and  swearing ;  where 
upon  William  and  Mr.  Simpson  marched 
him  off  in  short  order,  and  all  three  dis 
appeared  around  the  turn  leading  to  the  High 
Street. 

The  school  was  left  standing  in  the  road, 
still  panting  with  haste  and  excitement. 
They  had  been  silent  during  William's  col 
loquy  with  the  man,  but  now  the  strings  of 
their  tongues  were  loosened,  and  the  flood 
of  speech  broke  loose. 

"  My  dear  !  " 

"  My  dear  !  I  never  was  so  excited  in  my 
life,  were  you  ?  " 

"  Where  did  he  come  from  ?  " 

"Who  saw  him  first?" 

"  Why,  Peggy  Montfort,  of  course  !  Didn't 
you  see  her  ? " 


AN    ADVENTURE.  219 

"  No ;  I  just  ran,  because  every  one  else 
was  —  " 

"  Perfectly  distracted !  I  never  heard  of 
such  a  thing." 

"  He  was  in  the  closet  —  " 

"  No  ;  he  was  on  the  stairs  —  " 

"Just  getting  out  of  the  window  —  " 

"  With  just  her  bare  hands,  I  tell  you.  Just 
took  a  —  " 

"  Pair  of  earrings,  nothing  else  in  the 
world." 

"  But  who  was  he  —  where  did  he  come 
from  ?  What  does  Peggy  say  about  it  ?  " 

"  Girls !  girls  !  "  cried  Miss  Cortlandt.  "  Will 
you  please  be  silent  for  a  moment?  Peggy 
has  not  had  a  chance  to  say  a  word  yet, 
and  I  for  one  want  to  hear  her  story. 
Have  you  got  your  breath  yet,  Peggy? 
because  we  all  want  to  hear,  very  much 
indeed." 

"  There  isn't  much  to  tell,"  said  Peggy, 
blushing.  "  I  went  up  to  get  my  handker 
chief,  —  I  had  forgotten  it,  —  and  as  I  was 
coming  out  of  my  room,  this  fellow  was  just 
coming  out  of  the  other  room." 


220  PEGGY. 

"  What  other  room  ?  Whose  was  it  ?  "  cried 
a  dozen  voices. 

"  Why,  Van  —  I  mean  No.  17,  Miss  Vincent 
and  Miss  Varnham's  room." 

"  Oh  !  oh !  "  a  shrill  scream  was  heard  ; 
and  Viola  Vincent  pushed  her  way  through 
the  crowd  of  girls,  and  threw  herself  upon 
Peggy. 

"  My  Veezy-vee  ! "  she  cried.  "  It  was  my 
room !  V.,  do  you  hear  ?  It  was  our  room 
that  horrid  wretch  was  robbing.  My  dear,  if 
we  had  been  there  we  should  have  been  mur 
dered  in  our  beds,  I  know  we  should.  Peggy 
Montfort  has  saved  our  lives.  Isn't  it  per 
fectly  awful  ?  " 

"  That  she  should  have  saved  your  lives  ?  " 
asked  the  Snowy  Owl,  laughing.  "  Come  to 
your  senses,  Vanity,  and  don't  strangle  Peggy. 
She's  black  in  the  face,  and  I  shall  have  to 
set  about  saving  her  life  if  you  don't  let  her 
go." 

Released  from  Viola's  embrace,  Peggy 
gasped,  and  shook  herself  like  a  Newfound 
land  puppy. 

"  Don't  be   ridiculous,  Vanity ! "  she   said, 


AN    ADVENTURE.  221 

looking  at  once  pleased  and  shamefaced.  "  It 
wasn't  anything,  of  course ;  it  was  just  what 
any  one  else  would  have  done.  But  do  look 
out  for  your  things  !  They  are  scattered  all 
about  the  lawn ;  he  threw  away  a  lot  of  them 
when  he  first  came  out,  and  we  shall  be  step 
ping  on  them  if  we  don't  take  care.  Oh !  oh, 
please  don't  say  anything  more  about  it.  It 
was  just  the  merest  chance  I  happened  to  go 
up."  This  was  to  Yivia  Varnham,  who, 
trying  to  overcome  her  ungraciousness,  was 
expressing  her  gratitude  for  what  Peggy  had 
done.  It  was  evidently  an  effort  and  was  not 
pleasant  for  either  girl. 

The  girls  scattered  over  the  lawn,  pick 
ing  up  here  a  hairpin,  there  a  brooch  or 
buckle.  It  really  seemed  as  if  Vanity  Fair 
was  stocked  like  a  jeweller's  shop.  Gertrude 
Merryweather,  standing  by  Peggy,  uttered  an 
exclamation.  "  My  dear  !  Peggy  !  Why,  you 
are  all  over  blood  !  You  are  bleeding  now. 
What  —  where  —  oh  !  oh,  Fluffy,  look  here  !  " 
Bertha  came  running,  as  Gertrude  lifted  Peg 
gy's  arm,  which  was  indeed  dripping  blood. 
Both  girls  exclaimed  in  horror,  and  Bertha 


PEGGY. 


turned  quite  white-   but  Peggy  looked  at  it 
coolly. 

"  Oh  !  "  she  said.  «  That  must  be  where  I 
went  through  the  window  after  him." 

"The  window?" 

'Yes,  didn't  you  hear  the  crash?  He 
smashed  the  window  in  Miss  Russell's  study 
and  got  out,  and  I  followed  him,  of  course. 
It  isn't  anything.  Why,  I  didn't  feel  it  till 
you  spoke." 

"That  is  excitement!"  said '  the  Snowy 
Owl.  <  You  must  come  in  and  be  bandaged 
this  minute,  Peggy!  Come  right  along  to 
the  Nest;  I  have  bandages  and  lint  all 
ready." 

The  Snowy  Owl  was  all  on  fire  with  ardour 
and  sympathy.  Peggy  looked  at  her  in  sur 
prise,  but  the  Fluffy  Owl  laughed.  "You 
have  struck  the  Snowy's  hobby,"  she  said. 
"  She  is  going  to  study  medicine,  you  know. 
Go  along  ;  she  will  be  happy  all  the  rest  of 
the  day,  bandaging  and  cosseting  you." 

"But  it  doesn't  hurt!"  said  Peggy,  still 
wondering. 

"  Never  mind !  "  said  the  Snowy  Owl.    « It 


AN    ADVENTURE.  223 

ought  to  hurt,  Peggy  Montfort,  and  it  will 
hurt  in  a  little  while.  Come  along  and  be 
bandaged!"  and,  meekly  wondering,  Peggy 
went. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

PEGGY    VICTRIX  ! 

"  WELL,  it  certainly  was  a  great  success  !  " 
said  the  Scapegoat.  It  was  the  day  after  the 
reception,  and  she  had  drifted  into  the  Owls' 
Nest  toward  twilight,  and  now  stood  by  the 
mantelpiece,  swaying  backward  and  forward 
in  the  light,  wind-blown  way  she  had. 

"  A  great  success  !  "  she  repeated,  thought 
fully.  "Why,  it  was  actually  pleasant! 
How  did  you  manage  it  ?  " 

"  We  didn't  manage  it,"  said  honest  Bertha. 
"  It  just  came  so.  Everybody  was  ready  to 
have  a  good  time,  and  had  it ;  that  was  all." 

"  More  than  that ! "  said  Grace,  absent- 
mindedly.  "There  has  to  be  a  knack,  or 
something,  and  you  have  it.  I  haven't.  I 
couldn't  do  it,  even  if  I  wanted  to,  and  I  don't 
think  I  do." 


PEGGY  VICT.RIX!  225 

"  Do  what  ? "  said  the  Snowy. 

"Be  an  Owl !  "  said  Grace.  Suddenly  she 
left  her  hold  of  the  shelf,  arid  turned  upon 
them  almost  fiercely. 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Tell 
me  that,  will  you  ?  It  is  all  natural  to  you. 
Your  blood  flows  quietly,  and  you  like  quiet, 
orderly  ways,  and  never  want  to  throw  things 
about,  or  smash  a  window.  I  tell  you  I  have 
to,  sometimes.  Look  here  !  " 

She  caught  up  a  vase  from  the  shelf,  and 
seemed  on  the  point  of  flinging  it  through  the 
closed  window,  but  Gertrude  laid  her  hand 
011  her  arm  firmly.  "  You  may  have  a  right 
to  throw  your  own  things,  my  dear,"  she  said, 
good-naturedly.  "  You  have  no  possible  right 
to  throw  mine,  and  '  with  all  respect,  I  do 
object  ! '  " 

Grace  gave  a  short  laugh,  and  set  the  vase 
down  again ;  but  she  still  looked  f rowningly 
at  the  two  girls,  and  presently  she  went  on. 

"  It's  all  very  well  for  you,  I  tell  you. 
You  have  a  home,  and  a  —  my  mother  died 
when  I  was  five  years  old.  My  father —  " 

"  Grace,  dear,"  said  Gertrude ;  "  come  and 


226 


PEGGY. 


sit  down  here  by  me,  and  tell  me  about  your 
mother.  I  have  seen  her  picture ;  she  must 
have  been  lovely." 

But  Grace  shook  her  head  fiercely. 

"  My  father  is  an  actor,  and  I  want  to  be 
one,  too,  but  he  promised  my  mother  before 
she  died  — she  didn't  want  me  to  be  one. 
What  do  I  care  about  all  this  stuff  we  are 
learning  here  ?  I  tell  you  I  want  to  take  a 
tambourine  and  go  on  the  road  with  a  hand- 
organ  man.  That  would  be  life  !  I  would, 
too,  if  I  only  had  the  luck  to  have  hair  and 
eyes  like  yours,  Fluffy." 

"You  could  wear  a  wig,  of  course,"  said 
Bertha,  soberly.  "  The  eyes  would  be  a  diffi 
culty,  though,  I'm  afraid." 

"  Well,  I  am  here  now !  and  I'm  supposed 
to  stay  another  year,  and  then  go  to  college. 
Four  —  five  years  more  of  bondage,  and  tasks, 
and  lectures  on  good  behaviour !  Am  I  likely 
to  stand  it,  I  ask  you  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so  !  "  said  Gertrude,  steadily.     "  It 
would   be    a   thousand    pities    if   you    didn't, 
Grace,  and  you  know  it  as  well  as  I  do." 
"  And  if  I  do,  it  must  be  in  my  own  way  !  " 


PEGGY    VICTRIX  !  227 

cried  the  wild  girl,  swinging  round  again  on 
her  heel.  "  And  if  I  can  make  things  more 
endurable  here  —  if  I  can  get  rid  of  —  it  must 
be  in  my  own  way,  I  tell  you.  Snowy,  you 
are  like  your  name,  I  suppose.  You  are 
white  and  gold  and  calm,  —  I  don't  know 
what  you  are,  except  that  we  are  not  of  the 
same  flesh.  I  tell  you,  I  turn  to  fire  inside  ! 
I  must  break  out,  I  must  go  off  when  the  fit 
comes  on  me.  I  do  no  harm  !  It  doesn't  hurt 
anybody  for  me  to  go  down  the  wall  and  cool 
myself  with  a  run  in  the  fields.  Why  can't  I 
be  let  alone  ?  I  am  not  a  child !  I  tell  you  it 
is  the  way  I  am  made  !  " 

The  Snowy  Owl  rose,  and,  going  to  the  fire 
place,  laid  her  arm  around  Grace's  shoulder. 

"  You  are  making  yourself ! "  she  said. 
"  It's  your  own  life,  Wolf  ;  are  you  making  it 
worse  or  better  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  doing  either.  I  am  taking  it  as 
it  comes,  as  it  was  meant  to  come." 

Gertrude  shook  her  head  quietly. 

"  That  can't  be  !  "  she  said.  "  That  is  im 
possible,  Wolf.  We  have  to  be  growing  one 
way  or  the  other ;  we  can't  stay  as  we  are, 


228 


PEGGY. 


for  a  year  or  a  day.  And  there's  another 
thing :  you  don't  seem  to  think  about  the 
others,  about  the  effect  on  the  school.  If  you 
are  to  break  the  laws,  why  should  not  every 
one  do  the  same  ?  " 

"Because  they  are  different!"  said  Grace, 
sullenly. 

"  You  don't  know  that !  They  may  have  the 
same  temptations,  and  be  stronger  than  you 
to  resist  them.  You  ought  to  be  a  strong 
girl,  Grace,  and,  instead  of  that,  you  are  weak 
—  as  weak  as  water." 

"  Weak  ?  I !  "  cried  Grace,  her  eyes  blazing. 
"If  any  one  else  had  said  that  to  me,  Gertrude 
Merry  weather,  I  would  —  " 

"  But  no  one  else  would  say  it  to  you  !  " 
said  Gertrude.  "Because  no  one  else  —  ex 
cept  Miss  Russell  —  cares  as  much  as  I  do  — 
Fluffy  and  I.  We  love  you  too  much,  Grace, 
to  flatter  you  and  follow  you,  as  most  of  them 
do.  I  tell  you,  and  you  may  take  it  as  simple 
truth,  for  it  is  nothing  else,  that  which  you 
think  strength  is  simply  weakness,  —  lament 
able  weakness.  And  as  for  your  influence  on 
the  other  girls  —  just  listen  a  moment !  " 


PEGGY    VICTRIX!  229 

Taking  up  a  little  book  from  the  table,  she 
opened  it  —  indeed  it  seemed  to  open  of  its 
own  accord  at  the  place  — *  and  read  : 

"  <  Little  thinks,  in  the  field,  yon  red-cloaked  clown 
Of  thee  from  the  hill-top  looking  down ; 
The  heifer  that  lows  in  the  upland  farm, 
Far-heard,  lows  not  thine  ear  to  charm ; 
The  sexton,  tolling  his  bell  at  noon, 
Deems  not  that  great  Napoleon 
Stops  his  horse,  and  lists  with  delight, 
Whilst  his  files  sweep  round  yon  Alpine  height ; 
Nor  knowest  thou  what  argument 
Thy  life  to  thy  neighbour's  creed  hath  lent. 
All  are  needed  by  each  one  ; 
Nothing  is  fair  or  good  alone. ' 

There  was  silence  when  she  finished  read 
ing.  Then  —  "  What  is  that  ?  "  asked  Grace, 
stretching  out  her  hand.  "  Give  it  to  me  !  " 

"  Emerson.  Take  him  home  with  you, 
and  let  him  talk  to  you ;  he  speaks  well." 

Grace  took  the  book,  looked  it  over,  and 
dropped  it  into  her  pocket.  For  a  moment 
she  leaned  her  head  against  Gertrude's  arm, 
and  a  sigh  broke  from  her  involuntarily. 
Then,  all  in  a  moment,  a  change  came.  Her 


230 


PEGGY. 


face  lightened  in  an  indescribable  way,  and 
her  eyebrows  lifted  with  a  look  that  both 
girls  knew  well. 

"And  have  you  heard  the  news?"  she  said. 
"  There  is  a  rumour  that  my  Puggy  leaves  me 
at  the  end  of  the  term.  How  to  exist,  I  ask 
you,  without  her  ?  Othello's  occupation  would 
be  gone  indeed." 

"  No  !  is  it  true  ?  Why  is  she  going  ?  What 
does  it  mean  ?  " 

Grace  shrugged  her  shoulders  with  an  elfish 
gesture. 

"  How  should  I  know  ?  It  appears  she  sees 
ghosts.  A  ghost  must  be  hard  up,  one  would 
think,  to  visit  my  Puggy ;  there  ought  to  be 
an  asylum  for  impoverished  spectres.  Would 
you  subscribe  for  it,  Owls  ?  Good-bye  !  I  must 
go.  You  mean  well,  and  I  don't  bear  malice. 
Oh!  by  the  by,  — "  she  came  back  for  an 
instant,  and  stood  balancing  herself  on  one 
foot  and  looking  round  the  edge  of  the  door, 
and  she  certainly  looked  hardly  human,  —  "I 
forgot  the  thing  I  came  for.  Stand  by  the 
Innocent  this  evening,  will  you,  if  she  should 
get  into  trouble  ?  I  am  sent  for  to  the  study, 


PEGGY    YICTRIX!  231 

and  shall  be  in  for  a  good  hour's  lecture,  and 
then  bed.  " 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Goat  ?  What  is  it  ?  " 
asked  both  girls,  anxiously.  But  the  Goat 
was  gone. 

Peggy  was  enjoying  herself  extremely.  She 
had  learned  all  her  lessons,  for  a  wonder,  and 
now  she  had  curled  herself  up  in  a  corner 
with  the  "  Jungle  Book,"  and  the  rest  of  the 
world  was  forgotten.  There  was  nobody, 
there  never  had  been  anybody,  but  Mowgli 
and  the  Wolves.  She  had  hunted  with  them, 
she  had  slain  Shere-Khan,  she  had  talked 
with  Baloo  and  Bagheera.  Her  outdoor  na 
ture  had  responded  in  every  fibre  to  the  call 
of  the  Master  of  Magic,  and  he  filled  her  with 
joy  and  wonder.  As  the  Snowy  had  said,  the 
worlds  were  opening,  and  the  doors  thereof. 

Things  being  thus  with  her,  she  hardly 
heard  her  own  door  open  softly.  Before  she 
had  torn  her  eyes  from  the  enchanted  page, 
the  room  was  filled  with  silent,  flitting  fig 
ures  —  as  it  had  been  often  filled  before.  The 
girls  nodded  to  her  with  silent  laughter  and 


232  PEGGY. 

friendly  gestures.  In  another  moment  they 
would  have  been  at  the  window ;  but  Peggy 
was  not  dreaming  now.  In  an  instant  she  had 
sprung  from  her  corner  among  the  cushions, 
and  stood  before  the  window,  with  arms  out 
spread.  "  No  !  "  she  said. 

The  girls  recoiled,  paused,  in  amazement. 
There  were  six  of  them  :  the  two  V's,  Blanche 
Haight,  and  three  other  sophomores.  Peggy 
saw  with  a  throb  of  joy  that  Grace  Wolfe  was 
not  among  them.  That  would  have  made  it 
harder. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  asked  Vivia 
Varnham,  with  her  cold  smile.  "You  have 
never  made  any  trouble  before,  Peggy ;  isn't 
it  rather  late  in  the  day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  she's  only  in  fun  ! "  cried  Viola  Vin 
cent.  "  Aren't  you,  Veezy-vee  ?  Why,  she's 
acting,  girls,  and  she  does  it  elegantly.  It's 
perf'ly  fine,  Veezy-vee.  I  didn't  know  you 
had  it  in  you." 

"  No,  I  am  not  acting,"  said  Peggy,  quietly. 
"I  am  sorry,  girls,  but  you  can't  go  out. 
You  never  can  go  out  again,  so  long  as  I  am 
here." 


PEGGY    VICTKIX  !  233 

"  Upon  my  word  !  "  cried  Blanche  Haight, 
who  had  not  spoken  yet.  "  This  seems  to  be 
a  pretty  state  of  things.  Perhaps  you  are  not 
aware,  Miss  Montfort,  that  this  exit  was  used, 
long  before  you  came  to  adorn  the  school  with 
your  presence.  We  acknowledge  no  right 
of  yours  to  forbid  us  the  use  of  it.  Stand 
out  of  the  way,  please." 

For  all  reply,  Peggy  backed  against  the 
window  ;  her  face  assumed  an  expression  with 
which  her  family  was  acquainted. 

"When  Peggy  looks  dour,"  Jean  used  to 
say,  "  look  out  for  rising  winds  and  a  falling 
barometer !  " 

Then  Viola  came  forward,  and  began  to 
plead,  in  her  pretty,  wheedling  way. 

"  Let  us  go,  just  this  once ;  that's  a  dear, 
good  Yeezy.  I  know  what  has  happened ; 
Miss  Russell  has  found  out,  hasn't  she?" 

Peggy  nodded. 

"  And  she  has  spoken  to  you,  and  of  course 
I  know  just  how  you  feel.  But  you  see, 
Peggy,  we  have  an  appointment  this  time, 
truly  we  have,  with  some  college  girls,  and 
you  wouldn't  make  us  break  it,  would  you, 


234  PEGGY. 

Veezy  ?  Of  course  you  don't  want  us  to  go, 
and  we  won't  again,  —  at  least  most  probably 
we  won't,  if  it  is  going  to  get  you  into  trouble. 
But  we  really  have  to  go  this  time,  Peggy, 
dear,  so  do  be  nice  and  sweet,  and  let  us 
pass." 

"  No,"  said  Peggy.  "  I'm  sorry,  Viola,  but 
it's  no  use.  Nothing  you  can  say  will  make 
any  difference." 

"  Possibly  not !  "  said  Blanche  Haight ;  she 
pushed  Viola  aside  without  ceremony,  and 
came  close  to  Peggy. 

"  Possibly  nothing  we  can  say  will  make  a 
difference,  Miss  Montfort,  but  something  we 
can  do  may  make  a  good  deal.  I  ask  you, 
fair  and  square,  will  you  come  away  from 
that  window  ?  We  are  six  to  one,  and  I  give 
you  the  chance  of  settling  this  in  a  quiet  and 
friendly  way.  Will  you  come  away  from  that 
window  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Peggy,  "  I  will  not.  Is  that 
square  enough?" 

"  Then,  girls,"  said  Blanche,  turning  to  her 
followers,  "we  must  help  ourselves.  We 
shall  see  whether  one  freshman  is  going  to 


PEGGY    VICTRIX  !  235 

block  the  way  of  the  Gang  !  You  take  one 
arm,  Viola,  and  I'll  take  the  other." 

"  Oh,  don't  hurt  her  !  "  cried  Viola.  "  Don't 
hurt  her,  Blanche.  I'm  awfully  fond  of 
Peggy.  I  know  she  only  means  to  do  what 
she  thinks  she  ought  to.  Peggy,  do  give  up ! 
You  are  all  alone,  and  there  are  six  of  us. 
Do  give  up,  Peggy;  for  my  sake,  Peggy! 
I  —  I'll  give  you  my  gold  bangle,  the  one  with 
the  locket,  if  you'll  only  give  up,  Peggy ! " 

Peggy  smiled,  and  said  nothing.  She  could 
not  be  angry  with  the  little  butterfly,  but 
there  was  no  use  in  wasting  breath;  she 
might  need  all  she  had. 

Blanche  Haight  seized  one  arm,  Vivia  Varn- 
ham  the  other,  and  tried  to  drag  her  away 
from  the  window  by  main  force.  With  her 
favourite  Newfoundland-dog  motion,  Peggy 
shook  them  off,  planted  a  quick  blow  here,  an 
other  there,  and  her  assailants  staggered  back 
for  a  moment.  In  another  instant,  however, 
they  returned  to  the  attack,  and  this  time  the 
other  sophomores  joined,  and  all  five  threw 
themselves  on  Peggy.  Once  more  she  shook 
them  off,  but  they  closed  in  again,  and  a 


236 


PEGGY. 


struggle  began,  all  the  more  fierce  that  no  word 
was  spoken,  no  cry  uttered.  No  cry,  that  is, 
by  the  combatants.  When  the  five  set  upon 
Peggy?  Viola  ran  in  and  made  an  effort  to 
pull  them  off,  with  piteous  entreaties.  But 
no  one  paid  the  smallest  heed  to 'her,  and  the 
poor  little  butterfly,  frightened  and  distressed, 
burst  into  tears,  and  ran  away. 

At  the  same  moment,  any  one  who  had 
been  listening  in  quiet  might  have  heard  a 
singular  sound  that  seemed  to  come  from 
above,  from  outside  —  no  one  could  tell  from 
where ;  the  cry  of  an  owl,  followed  by  a  long, 
low  howl.  Three  times  this  was  repeated; 
and  many  a  junior,  studying  under  her 
lamp,  looked  up  and  said,  f'  What  is  up 
now,  I  wonder?"  for  the  sound  recalled 
freshman  days,  before  the  Lone  Wolf  and 
the  two  Owls  had  come  to  the  parting  of  the 
ways. 

Three  minutes  later,  two  figures,  speeding 
silently  along  Corridor  A,  were  met  at  a  turn 
by  a  third,  which  flung  itself  sobbing  upon 
them. 

"Oh,  Snowy,  oh,  Fluffy,  they  are  killing 


PEGGY    VICTRIX!  237 

Peggy  Montf ort !  I  was  coming  to  call  you  — 
oh,  be  quick  !  be  quick  !  " 

Without  stopping,  somehow  the  Snowy 
Owl  managed  to  open  a  door  and  thrust 
Viola  in.  It  was  to  be  noticed  that  neither 
girl  looked  at  her.  They  ran  on,  swift  and 
silent. 

Indeed,  it  was  time  !  Peggy's  lip  was  bleed 
ing,  where  Vivia  Varnham's  head  had  struck 
against  it  as  she  fell,  tripped  by  a  pretty  trick 
that  was  learned  on  the  Western  farm.  Her 
hair  was  dragged  down  and  hung  in  her  eyes, 
her  dress  was  torn  in  a  dozen  places. 
With  one  of  her  sudden  movements  she  had 
thrown  off  her  assailants,  and  stood  for  an 
instant  alone,  looking  the  very  Spirit  of  Bat 
tle,  with  blazing  eyes  and  scarlet  cheeks. 
Blanche  Haight  rushed  at  her  again,  and  this 
time  Peggy  seized  her  around  the  waist  in  a 
deadly  grip.  The  others  closed  in  once  more, 
furious,  determined  this  time  to  finish  with 
the  insolent  freshman.  It  was  like  to  go 
hard  with  Peggy  Montf  ort  this  time. 

What  happened  ?  A  flash,  the  glance  of  an 
eye,  and  all  was  changed.     The  assailants  fell 


238  PEGGY. 

back,  staggering  across  the  room,  gasping  and 
staring ;  and  the  Snowy  and  the  Fluffy  Owl 
were  standing  shoulder  to  shoulder  with 
Peggy,  one  on  either  side,  with  stern  and 
angry  looks. 

For  a  moment  there  was  dead  silence,  save 
for  the  hard  breathing  as  Blanche  Haight 
tried  to  wriggle  out  of  the  iron  grasp  that 
held  her  —  in  vain  !  Then  Gertrude  Merry- 
weather  spoke. 

"  Miss  Varnhain,  Miss  Floyd,  Miss  John 
son,  Miss  White,  Miss  —  who  is  this?  —  Miss 
Haight.  Found  out  of  bounds  and  out  of 
hours,  making  a  disturbance  in  the  rooms. 
To  be  reported  to  the  Principal.  Go  to  your 
rooms,  if  you  please  !  " 

Was  this  the  Snowy  Owl,  gentle  and 
friendly,  beloved  of  all  ?  No !  it  was  the 
Junior  President  and  the  Monitor  of  Corridor 
A.  She  might  have  been  an  avenging  angel 
as  she  stood  there,  tall  and  white  and  severe. 

Her  face  softened  as  she  bent  over  Peggy. 
"  You  can  let  her  go  now  !  "  she  said.  "  We 
are  here,  Peggy,  Bertha  and  I.  It  is  all 
right !  Let  her  go,  child  !  " 


PEGGY   YICTRIX!  239 

Slowly  and  reluctantly  Peggy  loosed  her 
hold,  and  Blanche,  half-fainting,  dropped 
upon  the  bed.  She  looked  with  feeble  venom 
at  the  two  rescuers. 

"Spying,  eh?"  she  whispered.  "Very 
dignified,  I'm  sure,  for  a  president.  That  lit 
tle  sneak  Viola  Vincent  was  here  too,  mind ! 
Put  her  down  in  your  precious  report." 

"  I  don't  see  Miss  Vincent  here ! "  said 
Gertrude,  coldly.  "  Go  to  your  rooms,  if  you 
please !  I  think  I  understand  the  case  thor 
oughly,  Blanche,  thank  you.  Will  you  go,  or 
shall  we  help  you?" 

But  Blanche  preferred  to  go  unaided. 
Silent  as  they  had  come,  they  slunk  away, 
flitting  like  shadows  along  the  corridor.  And 
when  they  were  gone,  the  two  Owls  sat  down 
on  the  bed  and  took  Peggy  between  them, 
and  rocked,  and  petted,  and  soothed  her;  for 
lo  !  the  Goddess  of  Battle  was  crying  like  a 
three  years'  child. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ON    SPY    HILL. 

THINGS  were  quietly  managed  at  Pentland 
School ;  there  was  never  any  outcry,  any  open 
flurry  of  excitement  and  gossip.  Many  of  the 
scholars  never  knew  why  five  girls  left  school 
in  the  middle  of  the  term.  The  seniors  who 
did  know  shrugged  their  shoulders,  and  said 
it  was  a  pity  to  have  such  things  take  the 
girls'  minds  off  their  parts  —  looking  at 
everything  from  the  point  of  view  of  Senior 
Dramatics.  The  juniors  looked  pretty  sober 
for  a  week,  even  the  sophomore  spirits  were 
dashed  for  the  time.  But  nothing  was  said 
openly,  and  after  awhile  the  scared  whis 
perings  died  away,  and  work  and  play  went 
on  as  usual.  Poor  little  Viola  Vincent 
mourned  deeply  the  loss  of  her  mate.  She 
herself  had  escaped  with  a  severe  reprimand, 


ON    SPY    HILL.  241 

having  gone  to  Miss  Russell  to  plead  Vivia's 
cause,  and  confessing  frankly  her  own  share 
in  the  escapade.  Vivia  was  anything  but  an 
agreeable  girl ;  but  she  and  Viola  had  grown 
up  together,  next-door  neighbours  and  com 
panions  from  their  cradles,  and  Viola  was  lost 
without  her.  She  threw  herself  upon  Peggy 
for  consolation,  and  Peggy  found  herself  in 
the  curious  position  of  protecting  and  com 
forting  a  junior,  and  a  girl  two  years  older 
than  herself.  Viola  would  come  in,  and,  curl 
ing  herself  up  in  the  corner  of  Peggy's  divan, 
declare  that  she  had  come  for  a  good  cry. 
A  few  sniffs  would  follow,  and  then  perhaps 
actual  tears,  but  more  likely  a  river  of  speech. 
"  It's  no  use,  Peggy !  I  cannot  live !  I 
simply  can  not  live  on  in  this  way.  I  know 
V.  was  horrid  to  you  —  yes,  she  was !  Oh,  I 
am  not  blind,  you  know,  if  I  am  a  goose  !  She 
was  horrid  to  most  of  the  girls,  I  know  she 
was,  but  she  was  good  to  me,  generally,  and 
it  didn't  matter  much  if  she  wasn't.  I  was 
used  to  her  little  ways,  and  I  didn't  mind. 
And  I  have  always  had  her,  you  see,  all  my 
life,  and  I  don't  —  see  —  how  I  can  get  along 


242  PEGGY. 

without  her.  I  wanted  to  be  expelled,  too ! 
Yes,  I  did !  that  was  why  I  told  Miss  Russell 
about  rny  being  there  and  all ;  I  thought  she 
would  be  sure  to  send  me  away,  too.  I  think 
it  was  very  unjust  of  her  not  to,  I'm  sure." 

"  Viola,  don't  talk  so !  You  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  —  the  attack,  or  any  violence. 
You  would  have  gone  away  quietly  when  I 
said  you  could  not  use  the  window;  you 
know  you  would." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  would  have  ?  I  might 
have  torn  you  limb  from  limb,  Peggy,  for  all 
you  can  say.  What  are  you  laughing  at  ?  " 

For  this  statement,  coming  from  a  small 
person  with  a  grasp  about  as  powerful  as  that 
of  a  week-old  kitten,  was  too  much  for  the 
stalwart  Peggy's  composure. 

"  You  don't  know  what  I  am  when  I  am 
roused  !  "  Viola  went  on.  "  I'm  awful,  simply 
awful !  "  And  she  opened  her  blue  eyes  wide, 
and  looked  like  a  tragic  baby. 

"  But  —  my  !  Peggy,  how  you  did  look  that 
night !  I  wonder  this  whole  room  didn't  turn 
blue  with  fright.  I  was  frightened  almost  to 
death;  I  wonder  I'm  alive  to-day.  Well, 


ON    SPY    HILL.  243 

wasn't  it  too  perf'ly  awful  for  anything,  the 
whole  thing?" 

"It  was  pretty  bad!"  Peggy  assented. 
"  But  it's  all  over  -now,  Viola ;  I  would  try 
not  to  dwell  on  it  too  much,  if  I  were  you. 
Of  course  I  know  how  you  must  miss  Vivia, 
and  I'm  dreadfully  sorry  about  it  all.  But 
just  think  how  dear  the  Owls  have  been  to 
both  of  us." 

"  Haven't  they  ?  "  cried  Viola,  drying  her 
tears,  her  eyes  brightening.  "  Aren't  they 
too  perfectly  lovely  for  anything,  the  Owls  ? 
I  think  the  Snowy  is  just  the  sweetest  thing 
that  ever  lived  in  this  world,  don't  you  ?" 

"  I  think  she's  one  of  them,"  said  honest 
Peggy.  "  But  I'm  just  as  fond  of  Bertha. 
She  was  my  first  friend  here,  my  very  first." 

"  Oh,  how  funny  you  were  that  first  day, 
Peggy  ! "  cried  Viola,  laughing  now,  her  sor 
rows  forgotten  for  the  time.  "  You  were 
too  killing  !  I  thought  I  should  have  died, 
when  you  went  tumbling  all  over  yourself. 
You  were  killing,  weren't  you,  now?" 

"You  seem  to  have  survived!"  said 
Peggy,  good-naturedly.  It  was  not  pleasant 


244  PEGGY. 

to  be  laughed  at,  but  no  one  ever  minded 
Viola. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  demanded  Viola, 
as  Peggy  got  out  her  "Tarn"  and  pinned  it 
on  with  a  resolute  air.  "  Peggy,  you  are  not 
going  out,  just  when  I  have  come  to  see  you  ? 
I  was  so  lonely,  and  I  wanted  some  one  to 
talk  to ;  and  now  the  minute  I  come,  you  get 
up  and  go  away.  I  must  say  I  don't  think 
you  are  very  polite."  And  Viola  pouted  and 
looked  like  a  child  of  six  instead  of  a  girl  of 
sixteen. 

"  Viola  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  You  have  been 
here  an  hour  and  a  half,  do  you  know  it  ?  and 
I  must  have  a  walk ;  I  haven't  been  outside 
the  door  this  afternoon.  Put  on  your  Tarn 
and  come  along  with  me  !  You'd' feel  ever  so 
much  better  if  you  would  take  more  exer 


cise." 


"  Oh,  no,  I  shouldn't !  and  I  cannot  see 
what  you  want  to  be  walk,  walking,  all  the 
everlasting  time  for,  Peggy  Montfort.  What's 
the  use  of  it  ?  " 

"  The  use  ? "  cried  Peggy,  with  sparkling 
eyes.  "  Why,  there's  all  the  use  in  the  world. 


ON    SPY    HILL.  245 

In  the  first  place,  it  makes  you  strong  and 
healthy,  and  keeps  you  well." 

"  Oh  !  but  gym  does  that !  We  have  to  do 
gym,  and  I  don't  mind  that ;  in  fact  it's  rather 
fun,  only  it  spoils  your  figure  dreadfully." 

"  But  gym  isn't  enough,  if  you  don't  take 
any  other  exercise,"  said  Peggy.  "  And  be 
sides,  V.,  just  think  of  the  joy  of  walking  and 
running.  Why,  you  see  all  the  things  grow 
ing,  and  breathe  the  air,  and — and — hear  the 
birds,  and  the  water,  and — well,  I  shouldn't 
want  to  live  if  I  couldn't  walk,  that's  all. 
Come  along,  and  you'll  see  !  " 

"  Oh,  I  can't,  I'm  too  tired." 

"  You  are  tired,  because  you  have  been 
sitting  in  the  house  all  day.  And  you  are 
pale,  and  —  " 

"  No  !  am  I  ?  "  cried  Viola,  running  to  the 
glass.  "  I'm  so  glad  !  I  just  love  to  be  pale, 
it's  so  interesting.  It  makes  my  eyes  look 
larger,  too,  doesn't  it,  Peggy  ?  They  do  look 
very  large  to-day,  don't  they,  Peggy  ?  " 

Peggy  sighed.  "  You  do  discourage  me, 
Viola!"  she  said.  "Well,  good-bye.  I  must 
go.  The  others  are  waiting  for  me." 


246  PEGGY. 

"  What  others  ?  Who  else  is  going  ?  What 
are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  told  you!    We  are  going  to  walk." 

"  Yes,  but  what  for  ?  Are  you  going  to  the 
shops,  or  going  to  see  somebody  ?  I  can't  see 
any  sense  in  just  stupid  walking,  without  any 
object.  And  you  didn't  tell  me  who  was 
going." 

"  You  didn't  give  me  a  chance.  Well, 
Rose  Barclay  is  going,  and  two  other  fresh 
men  whom  I  don't  think  you  know,  Clara 
Fair  and  Ethel  Bird  —  and  Lobelia  Parkins." 

"  Peggy  Montfort !  why  do  you  go  with 
that  little  animal  ?  I've  told  you  before  that 
I  could  not,  for  the  honour  of  the  corridor, 
have  you  seen  with  a  creature  that  looks  like 
that.  Let  her  go  with  Colney  Hatch  if  she 
wants  company ;  they'd  be  two  of  a  kind." 

"  Colney  Hatch  is  one  of  the  brightest  girls 
in  school,  Miss  Cortlandt  says  so  !  " 

"  Very  likely ;  but  that  doesn't  make  her  a 
fit  associate  for  you,  my  Veezy-vee.  You 
never  seem  to  understand  about  different  sets. 
I  want  you  to  belong  to  the  smart  set,  and 
you  won't." 


ON    SPY    HILL.  247 

"Do  the  Owls  belong  to  it?"  demanded 
Peggy,  turning  red. 

"  Peggy,  how  dense  you  are !  The  Owls 
don't  belong  to  any  set  because  they  won't. 
Of  course  they  could  belong  to  any  set  they 
pleased." 

"  Does  Grace  Wolfe  belong  to  it  ?  " 

"The  Goat?  Wliy,  she  used  to  ;  but  she's  so 
awfully  queer,  you  know;  the  Goat  has  grown 
too  awfully  queer  for  anything.  She  stays  by 
herself  mostly,  ever  since  she  cut  loose  from 
the  Gang.  And  Vivia  is  gone,"  she  wailed, 
"  and  Blanche  Haight,  —  Blanchey  was  not 
very  nice,  but  her  gowns  fitted  like  a  ser 
aph's,  and  the  style  to  her  hats  was  too 
perfectly  killing  for  anything,  you  know  it 
was.  And  now  there  isn't  any  one,  not  a 
single  soul,  that  I  care  to  talk  to  about 
clothes.  I've  had  my  pink  waist  done  over, 
and  it's  simply  dandy  —  the  sweetest  thing 
you  ever  saw  in  your  life ;  and  nobody  cares. 
I  am  so  unhappy  !  " 

"  I  haven't  seen  that  new  hat  you  told  me 
about  ! "  said  Peggy,  with  a  happy  stroke  of 
diplomacy.  If  any  one  had  told  Margaret 


248  PEGGY. 

Montfort  that  her  Peggy  would  ever  develop 
a  talent  for  diplomacy  she  would  have  opened 
her  eyes  wide  indeed  ;  but  one  learns  many 
things  at  boarding-school. 

Viola  brightened  at  once. 

"  No !  didn't  I?  "  she  cried,  her  whole  man 
ner  changing.  "  Would  you  like  to  see  it, 
Peggy  ?  It  is  really  too  cute  for  anything,  it 
just  is/  What  makes  you  shut  up  your 
mouth  that  way  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing  !  Well,  yes,  it  is  something. 
You  won't  mind  if  I  tell  you  ?  Well,  I  used  to 
say  'cute,'  and  Margaret  showed  me  what 
bad  English  it  was,  and  how  silly  it  sounded. 
So  I  made  up  my  mind  to  stop  it,  and  every 
time  I  wanted  to  say  it  I  screwed  up  my  mouth 
and  counted  ten.  Just  the  same  with  '  ele 
gant.'  I've  broken  myself  of  that,  too,  but  it 
was  hard  work." 

"  Elegant !  simply  elegant !  "  repeated  Vi 
ola,  thoughtfully.  "  The  Goat  won't  let  you 
say  that,  either,  or  the  Owls.  What's  the  use 
of  being  so  fussy  ?  besides,  elegant  is  a  real 
word,  they  can't  say  it  isn't,  so  now !  " 

"Oh!  of  course  it  is,  and  it  has  its  real 


ON    SPY    HILL.  249 

use.  You  can  speak  of  an  elegant  dress,  or  an 
elegant  carriage,  and  then  it's  all  right ;  but 
I  used  to  say  I  had  had  an  elegant  time,  don't 
you  know  ?  and  talk  about  elegant  cake,  and 
all  that  kind  of  thing.  And  when  once  you 
have  learned  better,  it  does  sound  awfully 
silly." 

"  Well,  they  make  just  as  much  fuss  about 
6  awful,'  and  there  you  are  saying  that,  and 
you  say  it  all  the  time." 

"  I  know !  "  said  poor  Peggy,  hanging  her 
head.  "  I  know  I  do,  though  I  try  awfully 
hard  not  to.  There  !  that's  the  way  it  is.  It 
does  seem  as  if  I  couldn't  get  over  that,  but 
I'm  going  on  trying.  And  if  you  don't  get 
your  hat  this  minute,  V.,  I  shall  go  without 
you.  I  can't  wait  any  longer.  It's  awfully 
—  it's  very  late." 

"  Why,  I'm  coming,  as  fast  as  I  can  ;  how 
impatient  you  are,  Peggy!  You  aren't  half 
as  fond  of  me  as  I  am  of  you,  or  you  would 
not  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  get  away  to  that 
little  fright.  There,  here  it  is !  Now  isn't 
that  dandy,  simply  dandy  ?  I  do  think  it  is 
too  perf'ly  sweet  for  anything !  " 


250  PEGGY. 

It  was  a  pretty  hat,  and  Viola  certainly 
looked  charming  in  it.  She  was  so  pleased 
with  her  appearance  that  she  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  of  "  showing  off  "  to  the  other 
girls;  so  she  followed  Peggy  down  to  the 
lawn,  where  a  little  group  was  already  gath 
ered.  At  sight  of  a  junior,  even  so  unfor- 
midable  a  junior  as  Viola  Vincent,  poor  little 
Lobelia  Parkins  shrank  into  a  small  knotted 
heap  of  misery.  Through  Peggy's  interces 
sion,  Rose  Barclay  and  the  two  other  fresh 
men  had  been  kind  to  her,  and  had  agreed  to 
let  her  share  their  walks,  which  they  took 
now  semi-weekly  under  Peggy's  leadership. 
None  of  them  cared  for  her,  or  felt  much 
interest  in  her,  but  they  did  care  for  Peggy 
Montfort,  partly  because  she  was  the  strongest 
girl  in  the  class,  partly  because  of  the  fame 
that  had  accrued  to  her  since  her  exploit  in 
resisting  and  breaking  up  the  famous  Gang ; 
but  mostly,  perhaps,  because  everybody  felt 
and  said  that  Peggy  Montfort  was  "all  right," 
which  in  schoolgirl  parlance  meant  that  she 
was  a  cheerful,  kindly,  and  right-minded  girl. 
So,  though  her  chief  friends  were  still  among 


ON    SPY    HILL.  251 

the   juniors,   she  was  well  known  and  well 
liked  in  her  own  class. 

Peggy  took  Lobelia's  hand,  and  drew  it 
resolutely  through  her  arm. 

"We'll  lead  the  way!"  she  cried.  "Rose 
and  Viola,  you  two  come  next,  and  Clara  and 
Ethel  bring  up  the  rear.  How's  that  ?  " 

All  agreed  to  the  arrangement ;  and  the  six 
started  off  in  high  spirits. 

"  Where  are  we  going  to-day  ?  "  asked  Rose 
Barclay.  "Don't  kill  us,  Peggy!  I  haven't 
got  over  being  stiff  yet,  from  the  last  tramp. 
It  was  jolly,  though." 

"  It  was  splendid !  "  chimed  in  Ethel  Bird. 
"Why,  I  had  no  idea  what  pretty  places  there 
were  about  here.  Shall  we  go  to  the  woods 
again  ?  " 

"  I  thought  of  going  up  Spy  Hill ! "  said 
Peggy.  "  It  isn't  very  high,  and  there's  a 
lovely  view  from  the  top." 

"  Oh,  I  never  can  get  as  far  as  that !  "  cried 
Viola,  aghast.  "  You  said  a  little  walk,  Peggy, 
and  that  is  miles  and  miles,  I  know  it  is.  Oh, 
I  think  I'll  go  back." 

"Oh,  don't!"  cried  Rose,  in  a  tone  of  heart- 


252  PEGGY. 

felt  interest  that  won  Viola's  susceptible  heart. 
"  It  isn't  very  far,  truly  it  isn't ;  and  I  want 
to  ask  you  where  you  got  that  hat.  It  is  too 
perfectly  lovely  for  anything !  I've  got  to 
have  a  new  hat,  and  I  do  wish  —  " 

"  My  dear !  "  cried  Viola,  dimpling  all  over 
with  pleasure,  "I'll  tell  you  all  about  it.  You 
see  —  " 

There  was  no  more  trouble  with  Viola. 
Peggy  chuckled,  and  started  off  at  a  round 
pace,  the  others  following. 

The  two  Owls,  standing  at  their  window 
with  arms  intertwined,  just  thinking  of  taking 
a  little  flutter  in  the  cool  of  the  afternoon, 
looked  after  them  with  friendly  eyes. 

"What's  the  matter  with  Peggy  Montfort?" 
said  the  Fluffy  to  the  Snowy. 

"  She's  all  right !  "  said  the  Snowy  to  the 
Fluffy.  And  then  they  looked  at  each  other 
sternly,  and  shook  their  heads  in  grave  re 
buke.  "  My  dear,"  they  said  both  together, 
"  we  are  surprised  !  " 


CHAPTER  XV. 

WHAT  WAS  THE  MATTER  WITH  LOBELIA 
PARKINS  ? 

"  LOBELIA,  I  insist  upon  knowing  !  " 
"  Oh,  Peggy,  please  don't  ask  me !  " 
"  But  I  will  ask  you.     I  do  ask  you.     What 
is  it  that  you  are  afraid  of  ?     I  shall  find  out 
sooner  or  later,  so  you  might  as  well  give  up 
at  once  and  tell  me." 

Lobelia  looked  around  her  uneasily.  She 
and  Peggy  were  sitting  in  a  cosy  little  hollow 
under  the  lee  of  a  great  brown  rock,  waiting 
for  the  others  to  come  up. 

"  Come  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  There's  nobody 
behind  that  rock.  What  is  the  matter  with 
you,  Lobelia  Parkins,  and  why  don't  you 
sleep  ?  Out  with  it !  " 

Lobelia  sighed,  and  twisted  her  buttons. 
"I  —  I  never  am  a  very  good  sleeper,"  she 
said  at  last.  "I  —  I'm  nervous,  Peggy.  And 
then  —  " 

253 


254  PEGGY. 

"  And  then,  what?" 

"  Oh,  dear  me !  I  can't  tell  you.  You 
won't  believe  me  if  I  tell  you.  Things  come 
into  my  room  and  frighten  me." 

"  Things  ?     What  do  you  mean,  Lobelia  ?  " 

"I  don't  know  what  I  mean!"  cried  the 
poor  girl,  looking  about  her  again,  as  if  in 
dread  of  some  unseen  terror.  "  I  don't  know 
who  it  is,  or  what  it  is.  Something — or 
somebody  —  comes  through  my  room  at  night 
and  goes  out  of  the  window." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  Well,  go  on.  How 
long  has  this  been  going  on  ?  " 

"  Oh,  ever  so  long  !  At  first  —  Peggy,  you 
will  feel  badly  if  I  tell  you  this." 

"  Well,  then,  I've  got  to  feel  badly,"  said 
Peggy,  stoutly.  "  Though  I  can't  see  what  I 
have  to  do  with  it  —  so  far.  I'll  have  plenty 
to  do  with  it  from  now  on !  "  she  added,  sig 
nificantly.  "  Go  on,  Lobelia." 

"  Well,  you  know  that  time  you  were  so 
good  to  me,  Peggy  ;  when  Blanche  Haight  and 
those  others  were  teasing  me,  and  you  came 
in  like  a  lioness  and  drove  them  off.  I  never 
shall  forget  it  as  long  as  I  live,  Peggy,  never  !  " 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER  ?  255 

"  Nonsense  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  It  wasn't  any 
thing  at  all.  Don't  be  absurd,  Lobelia.  Well, 
what  since  then  ?  " 

"  It  began  after  that.  She  —  I  know  that 
it  used  to  be  Blanche  Haight  then  —  she  used 
to  come  in  after  I  was  in  bed,  and  frighten 
me.  She  had  a  sheet  on,  and  at  first  I 
thought  it  was  a  ghost,  and  I  fainted  the  first 
time,  I  think ;  and  then  she  used  —  she  used 
to  make  faces  and  pinch  me,  and  one  time  I 
saw  her  ring,  and  so  I  knew  who  it  was." 

"  The  cowardly  brute !  "  muttered  Peggy. 
"  It's  well  for  her  that  she's  out  of  this  school. 
Now,  Lobelia  Parkins,  why,  in  the  name  of 
all  that  is  feeble-minded  and  ridiculous,  didn't 
you  tell  me  this  before  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  couldn't !  "  said  Lobelia.  «  I  had 
given  you  enough  trouble,  Peggy.  And 
besides  —  " 

"Well!   besides  what  ?" 

"  I  was  afraid !  I  was  afraid  she  would 
kill  me  if  I  told." 

"  My  goodness  gracious  me  !  "  cried  Peggy, 
bouncing  on  her  mossy  seat,  till  Lobelia  shrank 
away  scared  and  trembling.  "  Do  you  think 


256  PEGGY. 

we  live  in  the  Middle  Ages,  Lobelia  Parkins  ? 
This  is  what  comes  of  reading  history ;  it 
puts  all  those  old-fangled  notions  into  your 
head,  till  you  have  no  sense  left.  I  know  ! 
You  had  all  that  stun2  about  Florence  and 
Rome,  and  poisoning,  and  all  that.  I  had  it 
too  ;  awful  stun2,  and  probably  two-thirds  lies. 
History  is  the  father  of  lies,  you  know ; 
somebody  says  so  somewhere." 

"I  —  I  thought  it  was  Herodotus  who  was 
called  that,"  Lobelia  ventured,  timidly. 

"Perhaps  it  was;  it's  all  the  same." 

"  No,  I  am  wrong.  Herodotus  was  called 
the  father  of  history,  and  then  some  other 
people  said  he  was  the  father  of  lies ;  but  now 
it  has  all  come  true,  so  he  isn't  any  more  !  " 

Lobelia,  who  was  stupid  and  painstaking, 
proffered  this  lucid  explanation  painfully,  and 
then  gasped  ;  it  seemed  a  liberty  for  her  to 
explain  anything  to  anybody. 

"Who  cares?"  said  Peggy.  "He's  dead, 
anyhow.  Oh,  how  it  used  to  provoke  my 
dearest  Margaret  when  I  said  that.  I  only 
mean,  I  never  see  how  it  can  matter  so  much 
as  people  think.  But  you  are  not  dead, 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER  ?  257 

Lobelia  •  and  the  idea  of  your  being  killed, 
here  in  this  school,  in  the  nineteenth  cen 
tury!  Why,  it  is  absurd,  don't  you  see  ?  It 
is  funny!  You  must  laugh  about  it,  my 
dear!" 

Lobelia,  with  an  effort,  produced  a  watery 
smile ;  seeing  which,  Peggy's  mood  changed, 
and  she  laid  her  hand  instantly  on  the  skinny, 
shrinking  arm. 

"  My  dear,  don't  think  I  was  laughing  at 
you"  she  cried,  warmly.  "  No ;  I  am  going 
to  be  furious  in  a  minute,  when  I  get  round  to 
that  part  again.  Well,  but  Lobelia,  Blanche 
Haight  is  gone  now,  and  a  good  riddance,  and 
yet  you  say  you  are  still  afraid.  What  are 
you  afraid  of?" 

"I — I  don't  know  who  it  is  now!"  said 
Lobelia.  "  But  some  one  comes  through,  just 
the  same." 

"  How  do  you  mean,  just  the  same  ?  some 
one  pinches  you  ?  " 

"  No !  oh,  no !  this  person  never  speaks  to 
me  or  looks  at  me.  It  —  she  —  only  wants 
to  go  through  the  window.  It  has  something 
light  gray  over  its  head  and  shoulders.  It 


258  PEGGY. 

goes  down  the  fire-escape  and  stays  about 
half  an  hour,  and  then  comes  back.  I  —  I 
don't  mind  it  so  very  much,  now.  I  dare 
say  it's  all  right,  only  —  I  can't  sleep  very 
well,  you  know." 

"  I  see  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  Well,  I  think  we 
can  settle  that  matter,  Lobelia.  Hush !  here 
come  the  others.  We  won't  say  anything 
more  about  it  now.  Well,  girls,  how  did  it 
go  ?  Isn't  it  a  lovely  little  scramble  ?  " 

Rose  Barclay  and  Viola  appeared,  with  the 
other  two  just  behind.  Viola  was  panting, 
and  her  delicate  colour  was  deepened  by 
exertion  till  she  was  almost  as  rosy  as  her 
companion. 

"  My  dear !  "  she  cried.  "  You  are  respon 
sible  for  my  life  !  I  am  killed ;  simply  killed, 
Peggy  Montfort.  I  shall  never  recover  from 
this  awful  fatigue,  I  know  I  shall  not." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  said  Peggy,  briefly.  "  Here  ! 
sit  down  here,  V.,  and  get  your  breath  ;  you'll 
be  all  right  in  a  minute.  It  wasn't  bad,  was 
it,  Rose?" 

"  It  was  a  bit  stiff  in  one  place !  "  Rose 
admitted.  "  I  rather  think  we  took  the 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER?  259 

wrong  turn,  Peggy.  Did  you  say  left,  after 
the  big  pine  ?  " 

"  No,  right ;  you  didn't  come  up  that 
bank  ?  Poor  little  Y.  !  no  wonder  she  thinks 
she  is  killed.  Let  me  take  your  hat  off,  V., 
and  get  you  some  water  or  something." 

But  Viola  refused  to  part  with  her  hat. 
She  sat  panting  and  crimson,  and  seemed 
really  exhausted.  Peggy  eyed  her  with  re 
morse.  "  I  couldn't  know  that  you  would 
take  the  wrong  turn,  could  I  ? "  she  said. 
"I'm  awfully  sorry  !  " 

"  Oh,  but  it  was  fine !  "  said  Ethel  Bird. 
"  How  do  you  find  out  all  these  places, 
Peggy  ?  This  is  just  lovely,  isn't  it  ? " 

"By  looking,"  said  Peggy.  "I  like  to 
poke  about,  and  I  came  on  this  the  other  day. 
See,  here's  a  little  baby  spring,  trickling 
right  out  of  the  rock  here.  Isn't  it  pretty  ? 
and  the  water  is  clear  and  cold  as  ice.  Shall 
I  make  you  a  leaf-cup,  Viola  ?  The  best  way, 
though,  is  to  put  your  mouth  down  and  drink, 
this  way." 

"  Oh,  I  never  would  do  that !  "  cried  Clara 
Fair.  "  Why,  a  snake  might  go  right  down 


260  PEGGY. 

your  throat,  Peggy  Montfort ;  truly  it  might. 
There  was  a  man  —  " 

"  Oh,  don't  talk  about  a  man  !  "  cried  Rose 
Barclay.  "How  could  you,  Clara?  You 
remind  me  of  my  German  lesson." 

"  I  never  said  a  word  about  your  German 
lesson,"  said  Clara,  who  was  literal  and 
matter-of-fact. 

"No,  but  you  reminded  me,"  said  Rose, 
who  was  imaginative  and  poetic.  "  All  the 
morning  I  was  saying  to  myself : 

"  « Der  dickere  Mann, 
Des  dickeren  Mannes, 
Dem  dickeren  Manne, 
Den  dickeren  Mann.' " 

"  You  seem  to  have  learned  it,  anyhow," 
said  Peggy,  laughing. 

"Oh,  but  that  isn't  all!"  said  Rose. 
"  There  is  more  horror.  It  goes  on,  you 
know : 

"  « Die  dickeren  Manner, 
Der  dickeren  Manner, 
Den  dickeren  Mannern, 
Die  dickeren  Manner.' " 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER  ?  261 

"  I  think  foreign  languages  are  the  silli 
est  things  in  the  world  ! "  declared  Peggy. 
"  Well,  I  do  !  Such  perfect  foolishness  as  they 
talk  !  I  have  no  patience  with  them." 

"  Well,  but  Peggy,  they  aren't  foreign 
when  they  are  at  home  ! "  protested  Ethel. 

"  Well,  then,  I  wish  they  would  stay  at 
home.  I  don't  know  whether  German  is  so 
bad,  though  that  sounds  awful,  all  that  you 
said  just  now,  Rose ;  but  I  have  French ;  and 
I  have  to  try  to  mince  and  simper,  and  twist 
my  mouth  up  into  all  kinds  of  shapes,  just 
saying  things  that  are  too  silly  to  be  said. 
I  wish  there  was  a  law  that  no  one  in  this 
country  should  ever  speak  anything  but 
English.  It  would  be  ever  so  much  more 
sensible." 

"  So  it  would  !  "  assented  Rose.  "  I  say  ! 
what  a  pity  we  didn't  think  to  bring  some 
thing  to  eat !  I'm  awfully  hungry,  walking 
all  this  way." 

<<  All  this  way,  Rose  !  "  said  Peggy.  "  Why, 
how  far  do  you  think  it  is  ? 

"  Oh,  four  or  five  miles,  I'm  sure  !  " 

"  Well,    it    isn't    two.     Look    here,    girls, 


262  PEGGY. 

what  is  the  reason  none  of  you  seem  to  know 
how  to  walk?" 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  We  have  walked, 
haven't  we  ?  Here  we  are." 

"  Oh,  you  call  this  a  walk  !  that's  just  it,  I 
tell  you.  You  walk  a  mile,  or  two  at  the 
very  most,  and  you  think  you  have  done 
something  wonderful ;  and  poor  Viola  is  all 
tired  out,  and  says  she  will  never  come  again. 
Well,  but  this  isn't  what  /  call  walking,  you 
know.  Why,  I  went  with  the  Owls  the  other 
day,  and  we  walked  fifteen  miles  if  we  did  a 
step,  and  it  was  perfectly  glorious.  That's 
what  /  call  walking,  and  I  do  wonder  how  it 
is  that  none  of  you  ever  learned.  You  are 
all  strong  and  well,  aren't  you? " 

Yes,  they  were  all  strong  and  well ;  ex 
cept  Viola,  who  still  declared  she  had  got  her 
death,  and  should  never  recover. 

"Well,  but  what's  the  use?"  asked  Rose. 
"  I  think  this  is  great  fun,  to  come  to  a  pretty 
place  like  this,  and  sit  and  talk  and  look  at 
the  view ;  but  just  to  go  on  walking  and 
stalking  along  the  way  you  and  the  Owls  do, 
— what's  the  use  of  it  ?  We  are  not  ostriches, 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER?  263 

and  why  should  we  pretend  we  care  ?  Besides, 
it  takes  such  a  lot  of  time." 

"  And  what  would  you  be  doing  with  your 
time  ? "  asked  Peggy,  hotly.  "  Reading 
stories,  or  just  sitting,  sitting,  and  talking, 
talking.  My  goodness  gracious  me  /  the 
way  some  of  the  girls  just  sit  around  all 
their  spare  tirne,  doing  nothing,  makes  me 
tired.  Why,  if  I  hadn't  stalked,  as  you  call 
it,  how  would  you  have  come  here  to-day, 
and  seen  the  prettiest  place  you  ever  saw 
since  you  came  here  —  for  it  is,  and  you  can't 
deny  it,  girls.  I  do  hate  to  see  people  doing 
nothing.  I  don't  much  care  what  they  do, 
so  long  as  it  is  something  !  " 

"  Peggy,  you're  getting  very  ferocious,  do 
you  know  it  ?  "  said  Clara  Fair.  "  And,  after 
all,  we  did  come,  and  now  we  are  doing  just 
as  much  as  you  are,  and  why  are  you  shout 
ing  at  us  ?  " 

"I  won't  shout  any  more,"  said  Peggy, 
laughing.  "  I  suppose  we  all  have  our  hob 
bies,  haven't  we  ?  Walking  is  one  of  mine ; 
and  you  are  going  to  like  it  just  as  much  as  I 
do,  girls,  before  we  get  through  the  term. 


264  PEGGY. 

Why,  there  are  about  twenty  of  the  loveliest 
walks,  and  none  of  them  —  hallo  !  " 

Peggy  stopped  abruptly,  and  seemed  to 
listen. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Rose.  "I 
didn't  hear  anything. " 

"I  thought  I  did,"  said  Peggy,  quietly. 
"  Be  still  a  minute,  will  you  ?  " 

She  bent  her  head.  There  was  a  moment 
of  perfect  silence  ;  then,  somewhere  close  at 
hand,  a  singular  dry,  rattling  sound. 

"  What  a  queer  noise  !  "  said  Ethel.  "  What 
is  it  ?  " 

"  It's  time  to  go  home,  girls  !  "  said  Peggy. 
"  You'd  better  start  along,  and  I'll  come  be 
hind  you.  Come,  Viola,  give  me  your  hand 
—  so  !  Now  take  her,  Rose,  and  hurry  along  ! 
Lobelia,  go  with  them,  will  you  ?  " 

"  What  upon  earth  is  the  matter,  Peggy 
Montfort  ?  "  asked  Rose,  eyeing  her  curiously. 
"  What  do  you  want  to  get  us  out  of  the  way 
for?  I  believe  you  have  found  something, 
and  want  to  keep  it  to  yourself." 

"  Rose,  please  go  !  "  said  Peggy,  earnestly. 
"  I  am  coming,  I  tell  you.  No,  not  there  ! 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER  ?  265 

that  way  —  along  by  the  big  pine.  Keep 
away  from  the  rock  —  so !  Now  hurry,  and 
I'm  coming  right  along." 

The  girls  hardly  knew  why  they  obeyed; 
but  there  was  such  a  singular  earnestness  in 
Peggy's  look  and  gesture  that  they  did  not 
stay  to  question  her,  but  one  and  all  —  or  so 
it  seemed  —  turned  and  hastened  down  the 
side  of  the  hill. 

No  sooner  were  their  backs  turned  than 
Peggy,  whose  keen  eyes  had  been  fixed  all 
this  time  on  one  spot,  moved  swiftly  behind 
a  great  rock  that  stood  close  by.  There, 
stooping,  she  sought  with  eager  hands  and 
eyes;  sought  and  found  a  stout  stick.  She 
tried  its  strength  —  it  was  strong  and  tough. 
Then  warily  she  came  back,  and  looked  once 
more  at  the  pile  of  withered  leaves  that  had 
riveted  her  attention  before.  The  pile  seemed 
to  move  —  to  undulate  ;  and  from  it  came 
once  more  the  dry,  rattling  sound.  Some 
thing  reared  itself,  brown  and  slender ;  at  the 
same  instant  a  shriek  rang  through  the  wood. 
It  did  not  come  from  Peggy's  lips.  Like  a 
flash,  the  girl  had  sprung  f orward,  and  caught 


266  PEGGY. 

the  snake's  neck  under  her  crotched  stick,  just 
as  he  was  raising  himself  to  strike.  Pinned 
firmly  to  the  earth,  the  creature  could  only 
twist  and  wriggle  in  impotent  rage.  Looking 
around  coolly,  Peggy  saw  Lobelia's  face  peer 
ing  around  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  pale  with 
horror. 

"  Well !  "  said  Peggy.  "  You  are  a  nice 
obedient  child,  aren't  you  ?  Since  you  are 
there,  you  might  get  me  a  good  stone ;  he's 
all  right ;  he  can't  get  his  head  round." 

Gasping  and  trembling,  Lobelia  found  and 
brought  a  stone,  which  she  held  out  at  arm's 
length. 

"  Oh,  Peggy  !  "  she  whispered.  "  Is  it  — 
is  it  a  rattlesnake  ?  " 

"  That's  what !  "  said  Peggy,  relapsing  into 
slang  in  the  absorption  of  the  moment.  "  He 
won't  be  a  rattlesnake  much  longer,  though. 
There !  now  you  can  look,  Lobelia ;  he's  dead. 
I  tell  you  he's  dead,  as  dead  as  Julius  Caesar. 
What  are  you  crying  for,  child?  " 

Lobelia  came  forward,  trembling  and  cring 
ing. 

"  Oh,  Peggy,  I  knew  it  was.     I  didn't  say 


WHAT    WAS    THE    MATTER  ?  267 

anything,  because  I  thought  you  wouldn't 
want  me  to  —  " 

"Quite  right,"  said  Peggy.  "Sensible 
rabbit !  " 

"  And  —  and  I  am  terribly  afraid  of  snakes 
—  oh,  I  was  sure  you  would  be  killed, 
Peggy!" 

"  And  so  you  came  back  to  be  killed  with 
me?  Lobelia,  what  a  foolish  girl  you  are. 
There,  there,  don't  cry.  Why,  the  snake  isn't 
crying,  and  he  really  has  been  killed." 

"  Oh,  Peggy,  if  you  had  been  killed,  I 
should  have  died.  I  shouldn't  have  needed 
any  snake  to  kill  me." 

"Nonsense!"  said  Peggy,  gruffly.  "Lo 
belia,  do  stop  crying.  My  goodness  gracious 
me,  come  along,  or  we  shall  have  them  all 
back  again  after  us.  I'm  going  to  bring  him 
too,  and  get  Colney  to  dry  him  for  me.  He's 
a  beauty  !  look  at  him,  Lobelia !  Not  look 
at  him  ?  Why,  I  tell  you  he's  dead,  as  dead 
as  —  wno  was  he  ?  —  the  Father  of  Lies  ! 
Come  along,  now." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    TERROR    BY    NIGHT. 

ALL  was  quiet  in  No.  18,  Corridor  C.  It 
was  the  room  directly  above  Peggy ;  and  was 
tenanted,  as  we  have  seen,  by  Lobelia  Par 
kins.  Lobelia  was  in  bed  at  this  moment, 
though  it  was  before  the  usual  bedtime.  She 
had  felt  ill  and  dizzy-brained  for  several  days, 
and  Peggy  had  begged  her  to  go  to  bed  early 
and  get  a  good  long  sleep.  Peggy  herself  lay 
on  a  mattress  on  the  floor.  It  was  against 
the  rale,  but  for  once  the  law-abiding  Peggy 
was  wilfully  breaking  the  rule.  She  felt  strong 
in  Miss  Russell's  confidence  in  her ;  and  she 
meant  to  find  out  who  and  what  it  was  that 
was  "  frightening  Lobelia  silly,"  as  she  ex 
pressed  it.  Accordingly,  here  she  was,  in  her 
wrapper,  with  a  blanket  rolled  around  her. 
The  night  was  warm,  and  the  window  was 
thrown  wide  open;  Peggy  having  been  brought 

268 


THE  TERROR  BY  NIGHT.        269 

up  to  love  fresh  air.  Lobelia  shivered,  but 
would  rather  have  frozen  stiff  than  say  a 
word,  if  Peggy  preferred  to  have  the  room 
cold.  Each  girl  hoped  the  other  was  asleep. 
Lobelia  hardly  dared  to  breathe ;  she  lay  still 
as  a  mouse,  feeling  a  delightful  sense  of  com 
fort  and  security,  such  as  she  had  not  felt  since 
she  came  to  this  nightmare  of  a  place.  Not 
to  be  alone  any  more,  with  the  night  and  the 
terrible  things  it  brought ;  to  have  this 
friend,  so  strong,  so  kind,  so  helpful,  lying 
close  beside  the  bed,  ready  to  help,  to  com 
fort, —  Lobelia's  poor  shrinking  spirit  took 
courage,  and  she  held  her  breath  now  and 
then,  for  the  pure  pleasure  of  hearing  Peggy's 
calm,  regular  breathing.  Surely  she  must  be 
asleep  !  She  could  not  breathe  like  that  unless 
she  were  sleeping  quietly.  Oh,  might  nothing 
happen  to  break  her  friend's  rest ! 

Peggy  was  very  nearly  asleep,  it  was  true. 
She  had  meant  to  stay  awake  as  long  as  there 
was  any  possibility  of  any  one's  coming  into 
the  room.  She  was  valiantly  wide  awake  at 
first,  and  lay  blinking  at  the  moon,  which 
was  shining  in  the  most  obliging  manner  full 


270  PEGGY. 

upon  the  spot  where  she  lay.  Peggy  won 
dered  what  those  mountains  were  like  which 
made  the  strange  figures  on  the  broad,  silver 
disk.  They  must  be  tremendous !  Think  of 
them,  miles  high,  with  deep,  awful  valleys 
between,  and  all  dead  and  white  and  dry  like 
bone.  And  all  they  seemed  to  be  good  for 
now  was  for  us  to  make  faces  and  things  out 
of,  and  stories  —  to  please  —  the  —  children. 
Peggy  was  getting  very  sleepy.  She  opened 
her  eyes  wider,  and  stared  harder  at  the 
moon.  It  seemed  to  be  staring  back.  They 
were  certainly  eyes,  not  —  mountains  —  and 
one  of  them  was  winking  at  her ;  and  now 
she  seemed  to  hear  a  sound,  a  voice,  com 
ing  from  far,  far  —  ages  away,  and  saying, 
whispering  — 

Then,  all  in  a  moment,  sleep,  and  the  moon 
and  its  mountains  were  as  if  they  had  never 
been. 

The  door  opened,  swiftly  and  noiselessly, 
and  some  one  darted  in,  —  a  tall,  slender  fig 
ure,  with  gray  drapery  over  the  head  and 
shoulders.  It  turned  and  halted,  facing  the 
door.  Peggy  sprang  up  in  bull-dog  silence, 


THE  TERROR  BY  NIGHT.        271 

and  was  about  to  fling  herself  bodily  on  the 
intruder ;  but  an  arm  thrown  out,  a  familiar 
gesture,  a  whispered  word,  checked  her,  and 
she  stood  motionless,  hardly  drawing  breath. 
Next  moment  footsteps  were  heard  in  the 
corridor,  as  of  some  one  hastening,  and  mak 
ing  every  effort  to  be  silent.  The  door  was 
pushed  hastily  open,  and  Miss  Pugsley  stood 
on  the  threshold.  She  was  panting,  and  her 
dress  was  disarranged. 

"  Ah ! "  she  cried,  in  a  spiteful  whisper. 
"  I  have  caught  you  at  last,  have  I  ?  I  know 
you,  miss !  No  need  to  hide  your  face !  I 
know  you  well  enough,  and  this  is  the  end 
of  your  fine  doings.  Lift  up  that  veil,  I 
command  you  ! " 

The  gray  figure  advanced  toward  her  one 
step,  and  lifted  the  veil ;  and  even  Peggy's 
stout  heart  turned  to  water  within  her.  Miss 
Pugsley  recoiled  with  a  wild  shriek  from  the 
waxen  countenance,  the  hollow  burning  eyes, 
the  fleshless,  grinning  lips ;  recoiled,  stag 
gered,  and  fled  back  moaning  along  the 
corridor.  The  gray  figure  dropped  its  veil 
and  darted  in  pursuit.  Peggy,  running  to 


272  PEGGY. 

the  door,  saw  them  vanish  around  the  corner ; 
then  she  returned,  to  find  Lobelia  fallen  into 
a  dead  faint,  her  head  hanging  over  the  side 
of  the  bed. 

As  she  bent  over  her  anxiously,  rubbing 
her  hands  and  trying  to  rouse  her,  a  single 
board  creaked  in  the  corridor ;  next  moment 
the  gray  figure  entered  again,  this  time 
quietly  and  without  hurry.  The  veil  was 
thrown  back,  revealing  a  well-known  face. 
The  hideous  death's  head  was  now  carried  in 
the  hand. 

"  Sorry  if  I  alarmed  you,  Innocent !  "  said 
Grace  Wolfe.  "  What  in  the  name  of  un 
reason  are  you  doing  here?" 

"  Oh,  Grace,  she  has  fainted  !  "  cried  Peggy. 
"  Help  me  !  Bring  some  water,  do  !  " 

Grace  vanished  again,  and  was  back  in  two 
minutes  with  water  and  smelling-salts.  As 
they  bent  over  the  unconscious  girl,  bathing 
her  temples  and  holding  the  salts  to  her  nose, 
a  few  hurried  sentences  were  exchanged. 

"  What  was  it  ?  What  have  you  there, 
Grace?" 

"  Oh,  nothing  ;  merely  Colney's  skull ;  not 


THE  TERROR  BY  NIGHT.        273 

her    own,   you   understand,  but    that  of   her 
charmer." 

"  But  —  but  the  eyes  glared  !  I  saw  them 
glare,  like  fire." 

"  Phosphorus,  my  sweet  babe !  Hast  no 
chemistry  to  thy  name  ?  'Twere  well  to 
mend  thy  ways." 

"  And  why  —  what  were  you  doing,  Grace  ? 
Oh,  see  what  you  have  done !  Look  at  this 
poor  child,  and  tell  me  why  you  came  to  play 
such  pranks  in  her  room." 

Peggy's  voice  was  stern  enough.  She  for 
got  her  love  and  admiration  for  Grace;  she 
only  saw  what  seemed  like  wanton  cruelty 
toward  a  forlorn  and  helpless  creature,  and 
her  blood  was  up. 

Grace  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  she  said.  "  I  am  even  very 
sorry,  Innocent.  What  more  would  you 
have  ?  I  didn't  mean  to  come  in ;  indeed,  I 
had  no  thought  of  the  little  creature  at  all. 
I  had  a  vow  that  the  next  time  that  woman 
looked  through  my  keyhole  she  should  repent 
it.  I  think  she  did.  If  she  does  it  again,  I'll 
shoot  her;  I've  just  told  her  so." 


274  PEGGY. 

"\Vhy —  how  did  you  know?  What  did 
she  do  ?  " 

"  Oh,  child,  I  can't  always  tell  you  how  I 
know  things.  I  feel  them  in  my  bones.  This 
is  full  moon,  and  it  was  borne  in  upon  me  that 
she  thought  I  would  be  up  to  something  to 
night,  and  would  be  upon  the  watch  •  so  I 
went  on  the  watch,  too.  I  arranged  a  pretty 
scene  of  confusion  in  my  room,  open  window, 
things  all  thrown  about,  —  just  as  it  would 
look  if  I  had  been  having  a  lark;  left  the 
light  burning,  went  and  borrowed  this  soulful 
smiler,  and  treated  it  a  little,  —  no,  Colney 
knows  nothing  about  it ;  no  use  in  getting  her 
into  trouble  ;  then  I  took  my  mosquito-netting 
mantle,  and  hid  in  the  broom-closet  near  my 
door.  Sure  enough,  I  hadn't  been  there  long 
when  along  comes  my  Puggy,  in  felt  slippers, 
and  looks  in  at  my  keyhole.  I  waited,  to 
make  sure,  then  I  came  gliding  past,  without 
observing  her,  you  see,  corridor  being  pretty 
dark.  She  observed  me,  however,  and  pur 
sued.  I  led  her  quite  a  pretty  dance,  till  I 
thought  her  breath  would  be  getting  short, 
and  then  I  turned  in  here,  partly  because  it 


THE  TERROR  BY  NIGHT.        275 

was  handy,  partly  because  —  well,  I  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  passing  through  here, 
when  the  kid  was  asleep.  See  !  she's  opening 
her  eyes.  Speak  to  her,  you !  She's  more 
used  to  you." 

Peggy  lifted  Lobelia's  head  into  her  lap. 
"  How  are  you  now,  dear  ? "  she  asked,  strok 
ing  the  thin  hair  affectionately.  "  Lobelia, 
it's  Peggy!  You  are  all  right;  there's  no 
one  here,  no  one  to  hurt  you.  That  —  that 
was  only  a  trick,  Lobelia." 

Lobelia  moaned,  but  made  no  reply.  Grace 
leaned  forward.  "  Peggy  is  right,"  she  said, 
softly.  "It  was  a  trick,  Lobelia,  and  not 
meant  for  you  at  all.  I  —  I  never  thought 
about  you,  I'm  afraid.  Do  you  feel  better 
now  ?  I'm  truly  sorry,  my  dear." 

There  was  no  answering  look  of  intelligence 
in  Lobelia's  face.  She  lay  shivering,  with 
wide,  frightened  eyes. 

"Oh,  Grace,  I'm  afraid  she's  ill!"  said 
Peggy.  "See!  she  doesn't  seem  to  know  us. 
What  shall  we  do  ?  Lobelia  !  Do  look  at  me  ! 
Do  speak  to  me !  Oh,  Grace,  what  shall  we 
do  ?  Where  are  you  going  ?  " 


276  PEGGY. 

"I  am  going  to  call  Miss  Russell/'  said 
Grace. 

Miss  Russell  came  presently,  and  looked 
very  grave  when  she  saw  Lobelia's  face,  which 
was  now  flushed  with  fever,  her  eyes  still 
staring  wide,  as  if  they  saw  some  dreadful 
vision. 

"What  has  happened?"  she  said,  briefly. 
"  I  must  have  the  truth !  " 

Grace  told  her  the  truth,  every  word,  not 
keeping  back  anything:  merely  adding  that 
Peggy  had  nothing  to  do  with  it  all. 

"  And  what  were  you  doing  here,  Peggy  ?  " 
asked  Miss  Russell. 

Peggy  explained.  "  I  meant  to  tell  what 
ever  I  found  out,  to-morrow,  Miss  Russell," 
she  added.  "  I  thought  you  would  want  me 
to  discover  what  —  what  had  been  going  on." 

Miss  Russell  nodded.  "  Go  to  your  rooms 
now,  girls,"  was  all  she  said.  "Or  —  no; 
Peggy,  ask  Miss  Cortlandt  to  send  at  once  for 
Doctor  Hendon.  Grace,  you  will  remain  in 
your  room  till  I  come  to  you." 

Grace  tried  to  rise  in  obedience ;  but  the 
sick  girl  grasped  her  dress,  and  held  it  tight. 


THE    TERROR   BY    NIGHT.  277 

"Don't  leave  me/'  she  said,  in  a  hardly  au 
dible  whisper. 

"You  don't  want  me,  you  poor  thing!" 
said  Grace ;  and  though  she  spoke  low,  her 
tone  was  very  bitter.  "  Let  me  go,  and  you 
shall  never  see  me  again.  Don't  trouble 
about  me,  Miss  Russell.  I'll  pack  my  trunk, 
and  be  off  in  the  morning  before  any  one  is 
awake." 

"  You  will  do  as  I  tell  you,"  said  Miss  Rus 
sell,  quietly.  "Peggy,  go  quickly!  Now, 
my  poor  child,  let  me  take  your  hand.  Move 
softly,  Grace,  and  I  think  you  can  slip  away." 

Grace  tried  once  more  to  loosen  the  hold  of 
the  cramped,  skinny  hand,  but  Lobelia  only 
clutched  the  tighter;  and  now,  in  her  de 
lirium,  she  caught  Grace's  hand  with  her 
other  one,  and  held  it  tight,  tight.  "Don't 
leave  me  !  "  she  muttered.  "  Peggy,  Peggy, 
don't  leave  me  !  " 

Upon  this,  Grace  looked  up  at  Miss  Russell ; 
the  hard,  defiant  look  was  gone,  the  wild  blue 
eyes  were  swimming  in  tears.  "  Let  me  stay," 
she  murmured.  "Miss  Russell,  let  me  stay 
with  her.  I'll  go  away  after  she  gets  well. 


278 


PEGGY. 


She  thinks  I  am  Peggy,  and  you  know  I  am  a 
good  nurse.  Let  me  stay  and  take  care  of 
her,  and  I  will  bless  you  all  my  life,  even  if  I 
never  see  you  again." 

"  You  shall  stay,"  said  Miss  Russell.  "  My 
poor  Grace,  this  may  be  the  hardest  and  heavi 
est  punishment  I  could  give  you.  You  shall 
stay,  and  see  what  your  cruel  and  wilful  care 
lessness  has  brought  to  pass.  God  help  us 
and  you !  " 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

WAITING. 

IN  the  dreadful  days  that  followed,  Grace 
Wolfe  hardly  left  the  sick  girl's  side.  The 
doctor  came,  and  pronounced  the  trouble  a 
brain  fever,  brought  on  by  fear  and  worry. 
A  trained  nurse  came  and  took  charge. 
Lobelia  submitted  to  her  care,  but  her  one 
conscious  instinct  was  that  of  clinging  to 
Grace.  Whether,  as  seemed  most  probable, 
she  took  her  for  Peggy,  or  whether  she  sim 
ply  felt  and  craved  the  magnetism  of  the 
wild  girl's  touch  and  presence,  they  could  not 
tell ;  but  she  was  never  quiet  save  when 
Grace's  hand  was  resting  on  her.  Her  aunt 
came,  her  sole  living  relative ;  and  seeing 
her,  poor  Lobelia  was  explained.  Prim, 
fussy,  and  forbidding,  her  rich  dress  showing 
the  same  utter  tastelessness  that  marked  that 
of  her  niece,  Miss  Parkins  was  not  the 


279 


280  PEGGY. 

woman  one  would  have  chosen  to  be  the 
mother  of  a  girl  like  Lobelia.  She  looked  at 
the  sick  girl,  and  said  it  was  very  unfortu 
nate  ;  she  was  always  having  illnesses,  and 
had  given  them  no  end  of  anxiety. 

"  She  has  had  everything  that  money  could 
buy ! "  she  said,  over  and  over.  "  It  has 
never  seemed  to  make  any  difference ;  her 
mother  was  the  same  sort  of  person,  unrea 
sonable,  always  wanting  what  she  couldn't 
have.  My  brother  had  a  great  deal  of  trou 
ble  witli  her,  and  Lobelia  is  like  her.  I  have 
tried  to  do  my  duty  by  her.  Do  you  think 
she  will  get  well,  doctor  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  do  think  she  will  get  well!" 
replied  Doctor  Hendon,  glaring  at  her  in  a 
way  that  made  Miss  Russell  feel  alarm  for  her 
safety.  "I  think  she  will  get  well  if  she 
stays  here,  and  has  care  and  tenderness  and 
sympathetic  treatment.  You  are  her  sister  ? " 
He  turned  upon  Grace,  who  sat  beside  the  bed, 
passing  her  light  hand  over  the  sick  girl's 
forehead  with  smooth,  regular  strokes. 

"No,"  said  Miss  Russell.  "This  is  one 
of  the  pupils,  Miss  Wolfe.  She  —  was  in  the 


WAITING.  281 

room  when  this  attack  came  on,  and  Lobelia 
has  clung  to  her  from  the  first  in  a  sin 
gular  manner.  I  did  not  dare  to  remove 
her,  and  so,  as  you  see,  she  has  simply 
stayed  here,  helping  the  nurse." 

"  I  see  !  "  said  the  doctor.  "  I  suppose 
she  was  —  hum!  stay  close  by  her!"  this 
was  to  Grace.  "  You  have  a  touch,  I  see. 
Probably  you  have  been  kind  to  her,  —  poor, 
forlorn,  miserable  little  creature  as  ever  I  saw 
in  my  life  !  "  The  last  words  were  hurried  out 
as  if  they  were  one,  in  a  gruff,  not  to  say 
savage  whisper. 

Grace  looked  up  at  him.  "  I  am  the  cause 
of  her  illness,"  she  said,  quietly. ,  "  I  have 
never  been  kind  to  her,  or  taken  any  notice 
of  her.  I  have  come  through  her  room, 
using  it  for  a  passage  when  I  was  breaking 
bounds,  and  have  frightened  her  —  to  death." 

The  doctor  looked  at  her  under  his  bushy 
eyebrows.  "  That  may  all  be  so  !  "  he  said. 
"  All  the  same,  you  may  now  have  the  chance 
of  saving  her  life.  Stay  by  her,  that's  all  I 
have  to  say  to  you." 

"  And  what  have  you  to  say  to  me,  doc- 


282  PEGGY. 

tor?"  asked  Miss  Parkins.  "I  have  a  great 
responsibility.  Lobelia  will  inherit  a  large 
fortune  if  she  lives.  She  has  had  everything 
that  money  —  " 

"  You  can  go  home  !  "  said  Doctor  Hendon, 
with  a  sudden  movement  suggestive  of  biting. 
"  Go  home,  and  stay  there  —  I  —  mean,  have 
things  ready  for  her  when  she  is  ready  for  a 
change.  Good  morning  !  Ya-ouw  !  "  this  last 
was  a  manner  of  snarl  with  which  he  fa 
voured  Miss  Parkins  as  he  trotted  out  of  the 
room.  The  lady  stared  after  him.  "  Is  he  a 
little  touched  ? "  she  asked.  "  He  doesn't 
seem  quite  sane." 

Miss  Russell  assured  her  that  Doctor  Hen 
don  was  eminently  sane,  and  got  her  out  of 
the  room  as  soon  as  possible. 

Grace  remained,  and  hour  by  hour  kept 
her  watch  at  the  sick  girl's  pillow,  laying  her 
magic  touch  on  the  burning  brow,  singing  the 
soft  songs  that  seemed  more  than  anything 
else  to  soothe  the  sufferer.  So  sitting,  hour 
by  hour,  day  after  day,  the  old  life  seemed  to 
slip  away  from  Grace  Wolfe.  She  felt  it 
going,  felt  the  change  coming  on  spirit  and 


WAITING.  283 

thought,  but  made  no  effort  to  hinder  the 
change.  All  the  restlessness,  the  wild  long 
ing  for  freedom,  the  beating  her  head  against 
the  friendly  bars,  —  where  was  it  now  ?  She 
was  content  to  sit  here,  watching  with  the 
nurse  the  changes  that  came  over  the  face  of 
their  patient.  They  talked  together  in  low 
voices  which  soothed  rather  than  disturbed ; 
one  asking,  the  other  relating,  the  woman 
of  experience  and  the  eager  girl  exchanged 
thoughts  and  confidences.  Many  times  in 
the  day  the  girls  came  to  the  door,  Peggy 
and  the  Owls,  and  now  and  then  an  anxious, 
frightened  freshman.  Peggy  had  longed  to 
assist  in  the  nursing,  but  she  had  too  heavy 
a  hand,  and  hers  was  not  the  gift.  Ger 
trude  Merryweather  had  it,  and  she  some 
times  took  Grace's  place,  and  sent  her  down 
for  a  breath  of  fresh  air  and  a  run  with 
Bertha  or  Peggy  on  the  lawn.  Grace  went 
obediently,  for  she  knew  she  must  keep  up 
her  strength ;  but  she  was  always  back  again 
at  the  first  possible  instant,  and  her  thoughts 
never  seemed  to  go  with  her,  but  stayed  at 
her  post. 


284  PEGGY. 

"My  dear,"  said  Miss  Russell  once,  "I 
cannot  let  you  wear  yourself  out.  Let  Ger 
trude  watch  to-night  while  Miss  Carter  rests!" 
But  Grace  only  said,  "  I'd  give  my  life  if  I 
could,  Miss  Russell.  She's  going  to  get  well 
if  my  life  can  do  it !  "  and  Miss  Russell,  look 
ing  into  the  blue  eyes  and  meeting  the  spirit 
of  resolution  that  shone  there,  could  only  kiss 
the  girl's  cheek  and  pass  on. 

Lobelia  was  very  ill,  and  a  shadow  hung 
over  the  whole  school.  Lessons  went  on  as 
usual,  but  the  girls  spoke  low  in  their  recita 
tions,  and  there  was  an  unconscious  hurry  in 
both  teachers  and  pupils,  all  anxious  to  get 
through,  to  ask  and  hear  the  last  tidings  from 
the  sickroom.  In  those  days,  too,  teachers 
and  pupils  learned  to  know  each  other  as 
never  before.  The  grave  women  who  cared  so 
much — so  strangely  much,  it  often  seemed  — 
whether  a  lesson  were  well  or  ill  learned,  who 
made  such  a  fuss  about  trifles,  and  set  such 
hard  tasks,  and  made  such  unreasonable 
rules,  behold  !  they  were  just  as  anxious  and 
troubled  as  if  Lobelia  had  been  one  of  their 
own  number,  instead  of  the  most  insignificant 


WAITING.  285 

freshman  in  the  whole  school.  Miss  Boyle 
was  not  simply  a  mathematical  machine,  Rose 
Barclay  found  out.  She  really  cared  about 
them,  cared  enough  to  call  them  into  her 
room,  and  want  to  hear  all  about  that  last 
walk,  when  Peggy  had  killed  the  rattlesnake, 
—  oh,  how  brave  Peggy  had  been,  —  and  how 
poor  Lobelia  had  seen  it,  too,  and  with  her 
inborn  terror  of  snakes  had  perhaps  got  the 
first  panic  that,  after  brooding  and  brooding, 
and  being  added  to  the  terror  by  night,  had 
ended  in  this. 

Miss  Pugsley  was  gone.  Her  departure 
had  hardly  been  noticed,  was  well-nigh  for 
gotten  by  this  time  ;  but  Colney  Hatch  found 
Miss  Mink  sniffing  mouse-like  sniffs  in  a 
corner,  and  wept  with  her,  and  offered  her  a 
live  bat  that  she  had  just  caught,  by  way  of 
consolation.  But  their  tears  were  for  Grace, 
for  they  hardly  knew  Lobelia  save  by  sight. 

As  for  Miss  Russell  and  Emily  Cortlandt, 
they  were  the  life  and  stay  of  the  school  in 
these  days.  Steadfast  and  cheerful,  always 
hopeful,  bringing  forward  every  favourable 
symptom  and  sharing  it  with  the  whole 


286  PEGGY. 

school ;  not  a  girl  of  all  the  seventy-odd  who 
did  not  feel  their  sympathy  and  friendship 
like  strong  hands  ready  to  take  theirs  and 
uphold  them. 

One  day,  when  things  were  at  the  worst, 
Peggy  found  Viola  in  her  room,  crying  on  the 
divan . 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  she  asked,  rather 
briefly.  Viola's  troubles  seemed  microscopic 
in  this  time  of  heart-wringing  anxiety. 

Viola  raised  her  head,  and  her  eyes  were 
red  with  weeping. 

"  They  say  she's  going  to  die,  Peggy  ! " 
she  said.  « 

"  Nonsense  !  "  said  Peggy,  gruffly.  "  Who 
says  so  ?  " 

"  Oh,  all  the  girls.  They  say  Doctor  Hendon 
shook  his  head  when  he  went  out  this  morn 
ing  ;  you  know  that's  a  very  bad  sign.  Oh, 
Peggy,  I  wish  I  had  been  good  to  the  poor 
little  thing.  You  have  always  been  good  to 
her.  I  don't  believe  you  suffered  as  much 
as  I  did  from  her  clothes,  but  I  wish  I  had 
been  good  to  her  all  the  same.  Peggy,  if 
she  gets  well,  I'm  going  to  do  over  her  hats 


WAITING.  287 

for  her,  and  try  to  make  her  look  different. 
Peggy,  where  are  you  going  ?  Don't  leave 
me  !  Lobelia  is  going  to  die,  and  I  feel  so 
frightened." 

"  I  don't  believe  she  is  going  to  die,"  said 
Peggy.  "  I  am  going  to  the  study  to  see 
Miss  Russell ;  come  with  me  if  you  like, 
V." 

Viola  crept  along  beside  her,  cowering  in 
Peggy's  shadow  as  they  passed  the  door  of 
the  sick-room.  Peggy  paused  to  listen. 
From  within  came  the  sound  of  soft  singing, 
and  the  faint  rustle  of  a  wood  fire.  What 
was  Grace  singing  ?  one  of  the  quaint  French 
songs  that  she  loved,  — 

"  Trois  anges  sont  venus  ce  soir, 
M'apportaient  de  bien  belles  choses ; 
L'un  d'eux  avaient  un  encensoir, 
Le  deuxieme  un  chapelet  de  roses. 
Et  le  troisierae  avait  en  main 
Une  robe  toute  fleurie, 
De  perles,  d'or  et  de  jasmin, 
Comme  en  a  Madame  Marie. 

Noel  !     Noel ! 
Nous  venous  du  ciel, 
T'apporter  ce  que  tu  desires; 


288  PEGGY. 

Car  le  bon  Dieu, 

Au  fond  du  ciel  bleu, 

A  chagrin  lorsque  tti  soupires ! " 

The  two  girls  crept  softly  past,  Viola 
wiping  the  tears  from  her  eyes.  They  went 
down  to  the  study,  and,  knocking  gently, 
were  bidden  to  enter.  Miss  Russell  and  Miss 
Cortlandt  were  sitting  together,  and  at  their 
feet  sat  the  Snowy  and  the  Fluffy  Owls, 
curled  up  on  two  hassocks.  Peggy  looked  in 
timidly. 

"  Come  in,  Peggy ! "  said  Miss  Russell's 
cheerful  voice.  "  Who  is  that  with  you  ?  Oh, 
Viola  ?  come  in,  my  dear  !  Do  you  want  any 
thing?" 

"No,  Miss  Russell,"  said  Peggy.  "I  —  I 
just  wanted  to  come  in,  that  was  all." 

"  So  did  we  !  "  said  the  Fluffy.  "  We  just 
came,  and  we  feel  so  much  better.  Sit  down 
here,  Peggy." 

She  patted  the  floor  beside  her,  and  Peggy 
and  Viola  sat  down.  Peggy  heaved  a  sigh  of 
relief.  "  I  thought  you  would  let  us  come," 
she  said.  "  It's  so  dreadful  not  to  be  able  to 
do  anything,  isn't  it,  Miss  Russell  ?  If  we 


WAITING.  289 

could  help  in  any  way,  or  feel  that  we  were 
doing  anything  at  all,  it  wouldn't  be  so  bad. 
I  came  by  the  door  just  now,  and  Grace  was 
singing,  and  it  all  sounded  so  quiet  and  peace 
ful.  You  think  it  is  all  going  well,  don't  you, 
Miss  Russell  ?  You  don't  think  she  is  worse 
to-day,  do  you,  Miss  Russell  ?  " 

Miss  Russell  put  back  Peggy's  hair,  which 
had  fallen  into  her  eyes  as  she  looked  up 
eagerly.  "Dear,"  she  said,  "I  was  just  tell 
ing  Gertrude  and  Bertha  how  it  is.  Doctor 
Hendon  thinks  there  will  be  a  change  to-day ; 
he  thinks  the  crisis  is  coming.  It  is  a  time 
of  great  danger,  but  he  has  good  hope,  and 
we  must  have  it,  too.  And,  girls,  you  are  all 
longing  to  help ;  now,  you  can  help  us  to-day. 
You  can  help  very  much  indeed.  The  house 
must  be  kept  absolutely  quiet  this  afternoon. 
The  girls  are  in  their  rooms  now ;  but  if  you 
could  get  them  off  for  a  walk,  some  of  them, 
and  send  the  rest  to  the  gymnasium,  you 
would  be  doing  us  all  a  service.  Miss  Cort- 
landt  is  going  to  the  gymnasium,  and  she 
will  give  them  a  drill,  or  let  them  dance,  if 
they  like  —  you  don't  think  they  feel  like 


290  PEGGY. 

dancing  ?  No  more  do  I !  I  shall  not  leave 
Lobelia's  room  myself  till  the  change  comes ; 
I  am  going  back  there  now,  as  soon  as  the 
doctor  comes.  Ah !  there  he  is  now !  Re 
member,  dear  girls,  quiet ;  and  for  the  rest, 
hope  and  patience  —  and  trust !  " 

She  kissed  them  each  in  turn,  quietly  and 
gravely,  and  was  gone.  Turning  to  Emily 
Cortlandt,  they  saw  that  her  eyes  were  full 
of  tears ;  yet  she  spoke  cheerfully.  "  Miss 
Russell  is  so  wise,  girls  !  "  she  said.  "  I  am 
sure  you  will  do  all  you  can  —  it  is  an  anx 
ious  time.  One  thing  she  forgot  to  say,  —  I 
wouldn't  let  the  other  girls  know,  if  you  can 
help  it,  how  grave  the  danger  is.  Some  of 
them  are  nervous,  and  might  have  hysterics, 
or  even  be  ill.  Viola,  my  child,  you  look 
very  pale.  Don't  you  feel  well  ?  " 

Viola  was  trembling  all  over.  She  came 
close  to  Miss  Cortlandt  and  nestled  up  to 
her  like  a  little  child.  "  I'm  afraid  !  "  she 
said,  simply.  "  I  never  was  near  where  any 
body  died.  I'm  dreadfully  afraid,  Miss  Cort 
landt." 

Very  gently  Emily   Cortlandt  spoke  then 


WAITING.  291 

to  the  frightened  child,  and  to  the  other  three 
girls,  whose  strong,  sensible  faces  were  grave 
enough,  but  who  were  able  to  possess  them 
selves  in  courage  and  quiet.  She  told  them 
some  of  her  thoughts,  the  thoughts  of  a 
gentle  Christian  woman ;  of  the  hope  and 
love  and  promise  that  made  death  seem  to  her 
only  the  white  door  that  led  into  life,  a  life 
toward  which  we  must  all  look,  and  for 
which  we  must  shape  ourselves  as  we  pass 
through  this  world  of  joy  and  sorrow.  She 
told  them  of  young  lives  which  had  seemed 
cruelly  cut  off  here ;  and  of  how  it  was  her 
thought  that  death  had  been  to  them  not  the 
end,  but  the  beginning;  and  of  the  lovely 
light  they  had  shed  behind  them,  of  gentle 
ness  and  hope  and  love.  Then  she  spoke 
more  brightly,  and  told  them  how  strong, 
after  all,  life  was  in  the  young,  and  how  one 
could  always  hope,  while  even  a  spark  re 
mained.  Doctor  Hendon  had  good  hope,  she 
repeated,  and  they  must  have  it,  too. 

"  And  now,"  she  said,  "  I  must  go,  and  you 
must  go,  too.  Find  the  girls  quietly,  and 
bring  them  to  me,  or  take  them  out  for  one 


292  PEGGY. 

of  your  good  walks ;  and  let  us,  whatever  we 
do,  do  it  cheerfully !  " 

Faithfully  the  Owls  and  Peggy  laboured, 
that  November  afternoon.  First  they  soothed 
and  comforted  Viola,  finishing  the  good  work 
that  Miss  Cortlandt  had  begun ;  -and  they 
induced  her  to  go  to  the  gymnasium  and  take 
a  party  with  her.  Then  they  went  about 
softly  from  door  to  door  through  the  cor 
ridors,  not  spreading  any  alarm,  merely  say 
ing  that  Miss  Russell  thought  they  would 
all  better  go  out,  as  the  afternoon  was  so 
fine,  and  that  they  were  to  go  quietly,  as 
Lobelia  might  be  asleep.  Before  long,  with 
out  noise  or  confusion,  the  whole  school  was 
out,  either  in  the  gymnasium  or  on  the  road. 
The  walkers  divided  into  three  parties, 
Peggy  leading  the  freshmen,  Gertrude  the 
juniors,  while  Bertha  marshalled  the  sopho 
mores,  who  came  like  lambs,  half  proud,  half 
shy,  at  being  under  the  leadership  of  the  re 
nowned  Fluffy.  The  seniors,  of  course,  could 
be  trusted  to  take  care  of  themselves.  They 
were  a  small  class,  and  somehow  —  as  hap 
pens  in  every  school  with  one  class  and 


WAITING.  293 

another  —  had  never  made  themselves  a 
power;  they  had  gone  now  with  the  rest 
to  the  gymnasium. 

Peggy,  as  she  walked  at  the  head  of  her 
troop,  tried  to  feel  her  cousin  Margaret's 
hand  in  hers.  Always  humble,  and  distrust 
ful  of  her  own  powers,  she  tried  hard  to  think 
what  Margaret  would  do  in  her  place.  She 
would  tell  stories,  probably,  wonderful  stories 
of  heroes  and  great  deeds.  Ah !  but  Peggy 
did  not  know  the  stories  in  the  books ;  they 
never  stayed  by  her.  Well,  then,  she  must 
tell  what  she  did  know !  She  found  herself 
talking  about  her  home  life,  the  home  on  the 
great  Western  ranch;  of  her  father  and 
brothers,  and  the  many  feats  in  their  strong, 
active  life.  Here,  if  she  had  only  known  it, 
were  stories  better  than  any  in  Margaret's 
books.  How  Brother  Jim  hunted  the  white 
wolf  for  three  days  in  the  mountains ;  how 
Hugh  set  the  trap  for  the  young  grizzly,  and 
more  wonderful,  how  he  tamed  him  and  made 
him  his  friend  and  servant ;  how  Father 
Montfort  saved  the  three  men  who  were 
snowed  up  in  Desolation  Gulch,  and  brought 


294  PEGGY. 

them  out  one  by  one  on  his  shoulders,  just  as 
their  last  biscuit  was  gone  and  they  had  sat 
down  to  die,  —  on  and  on  went  the  tale,  for  it 
was  a  story  without  an  end.  On  and  on 
went  the  girls,  too,  unconscious  of  their 
going,  forgetting  to  think  they  were  tired, 
forgetting  everything  save  the  joy  of  listen 
ing.  The  shadows  were  lengthening  fast 
when  Peggy,  still  relating,  turned  her  face 
homeward,  wondering  with  thankfulness,  as 
she  noted  the  position  of  the  sun,  how  she 
had  been  able  to  take  them  so  far  without 
once  hearing  a  groan  or  a  sigh  of  weariness. 
She  looked  around,  and  saw  only  sparkling 
eyes  and  rosy  cheeks.  "  A  month  ago,"  she 
thought,  "  they  would  have  said  I  had  almost 
killed  them.  They  really  are  hardening,  and 
I'm  so  glad  !  " 

"  Oh,  go  on,  Peggy !  "  cried  Rose  Barclay. 
"  You  are  never  going  to  stop  there  !  What 
became  of  the  one  with  the  wooden  leg? 
We  must  know  !  " 

On  went  the  story,  and  on  went  the  girls ; 
the  sun  sank  lower  and  lower,  the  shadows 
crept  longer  and  longer,  the  air  grew  cool  and 


WAITING.  295 

thin  with  the  coming  night.  The  man  with 
the  wooden  leg  had  chopped  it  up  for  fuel, 
and  Father  Montfort  had  brought  him  and  all 
'the  others  in  triumph  to  the  ranch,  and  set 
them  down  by  the  fire,  when  —  "  Oh,  dear 
me ! "  cried  Ethel  Fair.  "  What  a  shame, 
girls  !  Here  we  are  at  the  gate.  I  say !  let's 
go  on  a  little  farther,  Peggy." 

But  Peggy  was  wise,  and  knew  when  to 
stop ;  besides,  now  that  she  was  near  the 
house  again,  the  anxiety  and  distress  that  had 
been  lulled  by  the  walk  and  the  story-telling, 
came  back  like  a  flood,  and  filled  her  heart. 
They  were  crossing  the  lawn ;  what  tidings 
would  greet  them  at  the  door  ?  Some  one  was 
standing  there  now ;  Miss  Cortlandt,  was  it  ? 
no,  Miss  Russell  herself.  She  was  waiting  for 
them  with  the  news ;  would  it  be  good  or 
bad  ?  Peggy  hung  back  for  an  instant ;  then 
she  walked  steadily  forward.  "  Quiet,  girls  !  " 
was  all  she  said.  "  I  think  Miss  Russell  has 
something  to  tell  us." 

They  were  at  the  foot  of  the  steps  now ; 
and  Miss  Russell  was  coming  down  to  meet 
them,  running,  the  grave  and  stately  woman, 


296  PEGGY. 

to  meet  them,  like  a  girl.  Her  hands  were 
outstretched,  her  face  was  all  aglow  with  joy, 
the  glad  tears  ran  down  her  cheeks. 

"  It  is  over  !  "  she  whispered.  "  Softly,  my 
dear  children.  Come  softly  in.  The  crisis  is 
over,  and  the  child  will  live.  Come  with  me, 
and  let  us  thank  God  together  !  " 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    END    AND    THE    BEGINNING. 

IT  was  a  month  later.  The  first  snow  had 
fallen,  and  the  lawn  was  white  with  it,  and 
all  the  trees  and  bushes  powdered  with  frost. 
Coming  out  of  the  class-room  one  day,  her 
heart  singing  of  sines  and  cosines  and  tan 
gents,  Peggy  found  the  Snowy  and  the  Fluffy 
waiting  for  her  at  the  door,  with  radiant 
faces. 

"  Oh,  what  ?  "  cried  Peggy.     «  A  letter  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Gertrude.  "  It  has  just  come, 
though  the  postmark  is  two  or  three  days  ago. 
Where  shall  we  go  to  read  it  ?  Your  room, 
Peggy?  So  we  will;  it's  nearer  than  the 
Nest,  and  I  know  you  can't  wait." 

Grace's  letters  were  indeed  things  to  wait 
for  in  those  days.  She  had  gone  to  Lobelia's 


297 


298  PEGGY. 

home  with  her ;  for,  on  coming  to  herself,  the 
invalid  had  still  clung  to  her  new  friend,  with 
a  persistency  strange  in  one  so  timid  and  fear 
ful.  Convalescence  came,  with  its  unwilling 
fretfulness,  its  fits  of  unreason.  Still  Lobelia 
clung  to  Grace,  and  no  one  else  could  make 
her  listen  and  obey.  The  nurse  laughed,  and 
said  she  might  as  well  go,  and  leave  her  di 
ploma  with  Miss  Wolfe ;  yet  stayed,  for  the 
two  worked  together  in  pleasant  harmony  and 
friendship.  At  last,  Doctor  Hendon  ordered 
a  change  of  scene,  and  now,  too,  Grace  must 
go  with  her.  The  Parkins  mansion  was 
within  driving  distance  of  Pentland ;  the 
whole  school  had  turned  out  to  see  the  de 
parture,  the  sick  girl  lying  on  cushions,  her 
thin  face  already  showing  the  signs  of  re 
turning  health,  and  really  transfigured  by  the 
light  of  love  and  gratitude  that  beamed  from 
it,  as  she  looked  from  Grace  to  Peggy,  and 
back  again  to  Grace.  She  beckoned  to  Peggy, 
who  pressed  to  her  side  and  bent  over  her. 
"  What  is  it,  dear  ?  "  she  whispered. 

"Peggy!" 

"  Yes,  Lobelia." 


THE  END  AND  THE  BEGINNING. 


299 


"  Peggy,  you  don't  mind  ?  " 
"  Mind  what  ?     I  don't  mind  anything,  now 
that  you  are  getting  well." 

a  YOU you  were  my  first  friend,  the  only 

friend  I  had.  You  don't  mind  — that  I  love 
her?  I  couldn't  help  it,  Peggy.  She  kept 
me  alive,  you  see.  Often  and  often,  when  I 
was  drifting  away,  and  ready  to  die,  she  held 
me,  and  would  not  let  me  go.  You  are  sure 
you  don't  mind,  Peggy  ?" 

Peggy  kissed  her  heartily,  and  told  her  not 
to  talk  nonsense.  "  If  you  didn't  love  her," 
she  said,  "  I'd  have  nothing  to  do  with  you, 
Lobelia  Parkins.  Do  you  hear  that?  Noth 
ing  !  I  wouldn't  speak  to  you  in  the  street, 
if  I  met  you." 

Lobelia  smiled,  and  leaned  back  on  the 
cushions  with  closed  eyes  and  a  look  of  abso 
lute  content.  "You  are  so  funny,  Peggy! 
she  murmured.  "  She  is  funny,  too.  I  like 
people  who  are  funny.  Good-bye,  and  thank 
everybody.  Everybody  is  so  kind  !  " 

The  carriage  drove  away,  and  the  last  thing 
the  girls  saw  was  Grace's  face,  looking  down 
at  her  charge  ;  grave  as  ever,  —  Grace  rarely 


300 


PEGGY. 


smiled,  and  they  hardly  knew  the  sound  of 
her  laugh,  —  but  bright  as  Lobelia's  own  with 
love  and  purpose  and  gladness.  So  they 
passed  out  of  sight. 

And  since  then  had  come  letters  every  week, 
telling  of  the  child's  progress;  one  to  Miss 
Russell  always,  and  one  to  the  Owls  or  to 
Peggy.  It  was  one  of  these  that  Gertrude 
took  from  her  pocket  now  and  opened,  as  they 
sat  together  on  Peggy's  divan. 

"  You  see,  it  is  dated  three  days  ago  ;  prob 
ably  been  carried  in  a  pocket,  from  the  look 
of  it." 

"  DEAR  SNOWY,  ALSO  FLUFFY  :  —  Tu  whit !  She 
has  been  gaining  so  fast  this  week,  we  shall  soon  for 
get  she  has  been  ill  at  all.  She  can  eat  anything  she 
likes,  and  she  likes  a  great  deal.  Miss  P.  keeps  ex 
claiming  at  her  appetite.  Apparently  the  child  never 
ate  anything  before  she  went  to  school.  The  rule  of 
the  house  is,  or  was,  one  shredded  wheat  Abomination 
for  breakfast,  one  chop  for  dinner,  one  smoked  her 
ring  for  supper.  All  this  served  on  huge  and  hideous 
silver  dishes.  This  order  is  changed.  Miss  Parkins 
almost  fainted  when  I  ordered  the  first  meal.  She 
weeps  every  day  over  the  butcher's  book,  but  the 
child  fattens  apace,  and  all  is  well.  I  had  to  frighten 


THE    END    AND    THE    BEGINNING.         301 

her  —  the  aunt  —  a  little,  though,  before  things  went 
smoothly. 

"  Yesterday  we  explored  the  house,  the  Babe  and 
I.  The  amazing  thing  is  that  she  lived  at  all  after 
she  got  her  eyes  open.  Apparently  every  article  cost 
a  thousand  dollars  ;  most  awful  old  mausoleum  you 
can  imagine ;  you  never  saw  such  a  place,  for  there 
couldn't  be  two.  The  bed  I  sleep  in  has  all-round 
curtains  of  apple-green  plush,  with  bead  fringe  three 
inches  deep.  The  mantelpiece  and  table-top  and  so 
on  are  gray  marble,  and  the  ornaments  are  two 
deformed  gilt  cherubs  holding  a  slop- jar  with  a 
clock-face  in  the  middle  of  it.  Also  two  unspeak 
able  alabaster  jugs,  three  feet  high,  and  two  Parian 
busts  under  glass  cases.  They  are  supposed  to  be 
Luther  and  Melanchthon  ;  I  think  they  are  Lucifer 
and  Mammon.  Well,  the  poor  little  thing  is  used  to 
it,  and  does't  know  what  is  the  matter.  Wait  till 
Monday  week,  —  I  mean  till  some  future  day,  —  and 
she  shall  know,  but  not  now.  She  doesn't  think  it 
a  homelike  house,  she  says  ! 

"  I  shall  be  coming  back  almost  any  time  now,  as 
soon  as  I  can  get  away.  It's  dreadful  to  leave  her, 
— '  I'm  wae  to  think  upo'  yon  den,  e'en  for  her  sake,' 
—  but  I  must  get  back  before  exams,  and  she  is  really 
all  right,  only  not  of  course  wholly  strong  yet.  She 
will  come  back  next  term ;  and  meanwhile  she  is  to 
travel  with  an  old  servant  who  was  her  nurse,  and 
who  has  some  spark  of  humanity  in  her  composition. 


302  PEGGY. 

"  I'm  coming  back,  I  tell  you  ;  at  least,  something 
is  coming  back.  I  don't  say  whether  it  will  be  the 
Goat  or  the  Wolf,  or  what ;  I'm  pretty  sure  that  — 

"  '  Lawk  a  mercy  on  me, 
This  is  none  of  I ! ' 

"  Good-bye,  you  feathered  things !  How  do  feathers 
feel  ?  How  do  you  get  about  ?  There  are  good  points 
about  the  creature,  I  can  see  that ;  you  can  see  in  the 
dark  —  but  so  could  the  Wolf !  and  it  would  be  nice  to 
be  able  to  ruffle  up  your  feathers  and  put  a  tongue 
in  every  wound  of  Puggy's  —  but  she  is  gone,  isn't 
she  ?  Alas  !  and  if  you  don't  know  Shakespeare  when 
I  talk  him,  why,  you  are  an  ignorant  set,  and  don't 
deserve  your  names.  This  is  for  the  Innocent,  too, 
mind  !  Give  her  my  love,  and  tell  her  —  never  mind ; 
I'll  tell  her  myself. 

"  So  no  more  at  present,  Respected  Fowls,  from 
your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

"TiiE  HYBRID." 

The  three  girls  were  silent  for  a  moment 
after  Gertrude  had  folded  the  letter  again. 
Then,  "  Do  you  suppose  she  will  really  be 
changed?"  asked  Peggy.  "I  —  I  don't  think 
I  want  Grace  to  be  changed,  do  you,  girls  ?  " 

"  That  depends ! "  said  Bertha,  with  her 
chin  on  her  hands,  in  her  favourite  judicial 


THE  END  AND  THE  BEGINNING.    303 

attitude.  "  Of  course  it  would  be  despair  if 
we  should  lose  her  real,  true  self.  If  she  could 
only  stay  Grace  Wolfe,  and  change  her  point 
of  view,  why,  then —  " 

"  That  is  just  what  she  will  do,  I  feel  sure 
of  it,"  said  Gertrude,  earnestly.  "  She  has 
been  through  an  experience  —  oh,  we  can't 
know  what  it  has  been,  girls,  because  we  are 
just  plain  people,  you  know,  and  Grace  is  — 
well,  I  think  she  has  genius,  or  something 
very  like  it.  If  only  the  power  and  the  sweet 
ness  and  brightness  are  turned  into  helping, 
you  see,  instead  of  hindering  —  oh,  how 
much'  she  can  do  !  and  I  believe  she's  going 
to  do  it,  too.  But  come,  Fluffy,  I  must  go 
home.  Won't  you  come,  Peggy  ?  We  have 
half  an  hour  before  study-time." 

Peggy  followed  only  too  gladly  along  the 
corridor ;  it  was  always  a  treat  to  spend  half 
an  hour  in  the  Owl's  Nest.  Gertrude  was 
first ;  she  opened  the  door  of  her  room,  and 
paused  on  the  threshold  with  a  low  cry. 
Bertha  and  Peggy  hurried  forward  and  looked 
over  her  shoulder  —  to  see  a  strange  sight. 

Something  —  or     somebody  —  was    sitting 


304  PEGGY. 

on  the  window-seat.  Something  gray  and 
soft.  It  had  a  round  feathered  head,  with 
two  feathery  horns  jutting  from  it ;  it  had 
round  bright  eyes,  which  blinked  curiously 
at  the  astonished  girls.  Below  the  head  were 
—  arms,  were  they,  or  wings  ?  They  were 
feathery  too,  and  they  drooped  over  some 
thing  that  might  be  a  skirt,  though  no  feet 
were  visible.  In  the  gathering  twilight  the 
figure  sat  on  the  window-seat  and  blinked, 
looking  like  nothing  that  was  in  heaven  or 
earth ;  and  the  three  girls  stood  and  stared, 
holding  each  other's  hands.  Presently  the 
silence  was  broken. 

"  Bubo  Virginianus  !  "  said  a  grave,  melodi 
ous  voice  from  under  the  feathers.  "  The 
Great  Horned  Owl.  Description  :  Large  and 
strongly  organised ;  ear-tufts  large,  erectile ; 
bill  strong,  fully  curved ;  wing  rather  long ; 
third  quill  usually  longest ;  tail  short ;  legs 
and  toes  —  " 

"  Grace  !  "  cried  Gertrude  Merry  weather. 

"  Tu  whit!"  replied  the  figure.  "I  may 
also  in  this  connection  remark,  tu  whoo ! 
This  well-known  bird  is  a  resident  in  all  the 


THE  END  AND  THE  BEGINNING.    305 

New  England  schools  —  I  should  say  States 
—  throughout  the  year.  It  is  not  so  com 
mon  in  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and 
Rhode  Island  as  in  the  other  States,  where, 
in  the  vast  tracts  of  forest,  it  is  quite 
abundant.  Samuels.  Easy  there  !  spare  the 
Plumage  ! " 

The  three  girls  had  flung  themselves  upon 
the  strange  figure,  which  flapped  its  arms  for 
a  moment,  as  if  contemplating  flight.  Then, 
waving  them  off  with  one  arm,  it  lifted  the 
feathered  head,  and  gazed  at  them  with 
melancholy  blue  eyes. 

"  Tu  whit!"  repeated  the  Scapegoat.  "I 
may  be  allowed,  in  this  connection,  to  repeat, 
tu  whoo !  Don't  kill  me,  Innocent ;  I  should 
be  less  useful  dead." 

It  did  seem  as  if  they  would  hug  her  to 
death.  They  laughed,  they  cried,  they  ques 
tioned,  they  talked,  all  in  one  breath ;  no  one 
would  have  recognised  the  sedate  Owls  or  the 
sensible  Peggy.  Grace  regarded  them  with 
grave  benignity,  as  she  untied  the  owl's  head, 
and  loosed  the  feathered  cape  from  her 
shoulders. 


306  PEGGY. 

"Rather  neat,  I  thought?"  she  said,  turn 
ing  the  head  around  on  her  hand.  "The  beak 
is  a  little  wobbly,  but  the  general  character  — 
eh  ?  —  is  pretty  good  ?  I  couldn't  manage  the 
toes  and  claws ;  there  wasn't  time,  and, 
besides,  they  would  have  excited  remark, 
even  if  the  weather  had  been  warm  enough 
to  make  them  comfortable  for  travelling. 
Well,  my  Snowy,  my  Fluffy,  how  is  it  ?  Is 
there  room  for  another  Owl  in  the  forest?" 

"  Oh,  Grace  !  "  cried  Bertha. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  !  "  cried  Gertrude  ;  and  their 
arms  were  around  her  again,  while  Peggy 
sat  down  on  the  floor  and  fairly  burst  into 
tears. 

Grace  was  silent  for  a  little,  her  head  rest 
ing  on  Gertrude's  shoulder.  When  she  spoke, 
her  voice  had  not  its  usual  even  flow,  but 
hesitated,  almost  faltered,  now  and  then. 

"I  am  going  to  try  !  "  she  said.  "  It  will 
take  a  long  time,  my  Owls,  and  you  will  have 
to  be  very  patient  with  me.  I  shall  probably 
never  be  wholly  domesticated,  but  —  but  you 
will  help  me,  and  the  Innocent  here  will  help 
me  ;  won't  you,  Innocent  ?  " 


4"\VK    FOUR    AGAINST    THE    WORLD! 


THE    END    AND    THE    BEGINNING.         307 

"  Oh,  Grace,  if  I  only  could  ?  but  what  can 
I  do  ?  I  don't  see  how  I  can  ever  do 
anything ! " 

"  You  began  it  all !  "  said  Grace.  "  The 
way  you  looked  —  that  night  I  made  you  go 
out,  little  Peggy.  You  didn't  know,  but  the 
face  of  an  Innocent  can  be  a  terrible  thing, 
and  I  saw,  and  knew  —  things  I  hadn't 
known  before.  No  need  of  going  back  to 
that  now.  But  —  Snowy  —  Samuels  says  I 
make  an  amusing  pet  in  captivity.  You'll 
try  me?" 

"  Won't  we ! "  cried  the  Snowy  Owl. 
"  Grace,  dear,  we'll  all  try  together.  Oh,  we 
all  have  to  keep  trying,  don't  we,  all  our 
lives  long  ?  It  wouldn't  be  worth  anything  if 
we  didn't  have  to  try,  to  work  and  fight  for 
it.  It  shall  be  we  three  against  the  world,  — 
the  Snowy,  the  Fluffy,  and  the  Horny.  No, 
we  four,  for  what  should  we  do  without  our 
Peggy  ?  Get  up,  Peggy,  you  ridiculous  child ; 
stop  crying,  and  come  and  sit  here  close  by 
us." 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Peggy.  "  Isn't  there  some 
kind  of  Owl  that  I  could  be?  I  am  too 


308  PEGGY. 

stupid,  of  course,  but  I  might  be  a  screech- 
owl,  don't  you  think  so,  Snowy?" 

Grace  held  up  her  hand.  "Forbid  the 
thought !  "  she  said,  gravely.  "  Who  would 
get  us  our  mice  ?  We  must  have  a  Human 
Being  connected  with  us.  I  think  of  moving 
into  Bedlam,  as  Colney  has  a  fine  assortment 
of  mice  on  hand  generally.  I  refuse  bats, 
probably  on  account  of  the  strong  musky 
odour,  but  a  mouse  dragged  across  the  floor 
of  my  cage  fills  me  with  excitement.  Sam 
uels,  part  of  it  at  least.  No,  we  must  have  a 
Human  Being  in  the  Owlery,  and  that  Human 
Being  must  be  the  Innocent.  We  Four 
against  the  World,  then  !  Hands '  on  it,  my 
Owls!" 

The  four  girls  stood  up,  and,  joining  hands, 
looked  in  each  other's  faces.  "  We  Four 
against  the  World  !  "  they  repeated.  "  The 
Snowy,  the  Fluffy,  the  Horny,  and  the  Inno 
cent  ;  Hurrah  for  us  ! "  and  the  shout  they 
raised  brought  the  whole  corridor  running  to 
see  what  was  going  on. 

THE    END. 


AMOSi     _DUR(NG 
SESSIONS 


LD  21-5  Om-8  '57 
CC8481slO)476 


37094 


